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ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild traded for goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov on Tuesday in conjunction with their decision to shut down ailing veteran Niklas Backstrom. The Wild sent a fourth-round draft pick to Edmonton to complete the deal one day before the NHL trade deadline. General manager Chuck Fletcher said the team must assume that neither Backstrom nor Josh Harding will be healthy enough to mind the net again this season. Rookie Darcy Kuemper has been stellar in their absence, but with a finishing stretch of 20 games in 37 days starting Saturday, hes not enough. "We have a lot of work ahead of us to get where we want to get to, but clearly having two quality goaltenders was very important," Fletcher said. Kuemper has started 15 straight games, so Bryzgalov is more for insurance, though hes certain to have his time, too. The Wild are 14-4-2 in 2014 and in firm control of the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference playoff race. "I will do my job as best I can. Making the decisions on who is supposed to play is not my job," Bryzgalov said on a conference call. He added: "I look at this as a great opportunity for me to play, and yeah its like a new challenge." Backstrom has been bothered by injuries all season, most notably to his midsection that will probably prompt surgery, and the 36-year-old has a career-worst 3.02 goals-against average over 21 games. Fletcher told him Monday of their preference to hold him out until training camp. "His pain threshold is tremendous," Fletcher said. "Hes a competitive guy and I know hes really disappointed because the team has taken a really strong step the last couple months. Hes been through some of the lean times, and I know he wants to be a part of it but our goal for Nik is to get him healthy." Harding was superb early in the season, but the 2013 Masterton Trophy winner -- for sportsmanship, dedication and perseverance -- has not played at all in 2014 due to illness related to medication for multiple sclerosis. With not much more than a month left in the regular season and Harding not yet ready to resume skating, Fletcher said hes probably finished until the fall, too. The search for a replacement intensified in the last couple of days. Martin Brodeur and Jaroslav Halak also were potentially available via trade, but their price was far higher than what it took to nab Bryzgalov. The 33-year-old Russian has a 5-8-5 record in 20 games for the Oilers this season, with an ugly 3.01 goals-against average. Hes on an expiring contract, a requirement for the Wild. This is a rental, plain and simple. Thats largely because Kuemper has tied a Wild rookie record with 11 wins and since Jan. 7 has a 1.70 GAA with two shutouts and a .939 save percentage. "Weve always felt hed be a very good No. 1 goalie down the road, and we just didnt realize down the road would mean this January and February," Fletcher said. The pick sent to Edmonton was originally acquired last year from Buffalo in the trade that brought first-line right wing Jason Pominville to Minnesota. Bryzgalov has 38 games of playoff experience over five postseasons with Anaheim, Phoenix and Philadelphia, including three stellar starts against the Wild in the Western Conference quarterfinals in 2007. He stopped 73 of 77 shots in the first three games of that series, all Ducks victories. Bryzgalov struggled in defeat in the next game, Jean-Sebastien Giguere replaced him thereafter and the Ducks went on to win the Stanley Cup. Bryzgalovs career record is 213-157-50, including a 42-20-6 mark for the Coyotes during the 2009-10 season, his best in the NHL. He had a 2.29 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage. Then came his ill-fated time in Philadelphia. The Flyers signed him to a $51 million, nine-year contract in 2011 and used a salary-cap compliance buyout to release him last June, just two seasons into the megadeal. General manager Paul Holmgren said then the contract was "a costly mistake." Bryzgalov didnt sign with the Oilers until last November. After signing goalie Ben Scrivens to a two-year contract extension last week, the Oilers took their first step away from Bryzgalov. Then they acquired goalie Viktor Fasth from Anaheim on Tuesday for a fifth-round draft pick this summer and a third-round selection in 2015. James Worthy Jersey . Canada wasnt in the game from the outset. Head coach Dan Church left Calgary in the morning without addressing the players. He told The Canadian Press he felt the organization lacked confidence in his ability to defend the Olympic gold medal in February. 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Odour had a leadoff single in the seventh and scored the tiebreaking run with the help of two errors by Hardy as the Rangers went on to beat the Orioles 8-6 on Thursday night.Day 10 in 100 words or less If this was 2010 and Germany and Ghana had just played out the 2-2 draw that took place on Saturday then people would be talking about it as one of the greatest games in World Cup history. Of course it wasnt, although it was fantastic, but place that game around a long bunch of duds and that would have been the perception. Instead, it came in the midst of what is turning out to be the finest World Cup group stage ever. Typically, for Brazil 2014, the game wasnt even the main story on day 10, instead the little master took over that honour. Argentina 1-0 Iran Sometimes there just has to be a winner. Someone proved right even when it just seemed they were so wrong. You will have heard by now that Lionel Messi scored a dramatic injury time winner against Iran so you probably presume that the winner I am talking about is him. I am not. Heading into this World Cup the biggest storyline of all was "can the best player in the world carry Argentina to glory and become one of the greats?" For many it was nonsense, an obsession with an individual in a team sport who cannot possibly do it all himself. As the clock ticked past the ninety minute mark that crowd smiled. Resolute Iran had defended brilliantly. In a World Cup full of swashbuckling, quick, decisive finishing, it took a footballing minnow to give a masterclass in defending. Dont be fooled, they threatened to score also, but above anything else they made world class attacking stars look very ordinary. This included Messi. It was the perfect example of a game that laughed in the face of those who demanded the Barcelona star must carry his team. A game that required complete cohesion, partnerships on the field, combining to open up an opponent. A game that, late in the first half, saw Messi pick up the ball, look up and see 11 opponents in front of him... Iran did a great job with Messi, not only marking him tightly but being so disciplined with their shape and getting extra numbers that were ready if Messi cut in with his left. Messi from deep areas likes to glide from right to left but still the Iranians blocked that path. Last weekend Messi was able to score his goal against Bosnia-Herzegovina when that key area highlighted by the square (below) was open and not blocked with defenders... A 1-2 pass with Fernando Gago and suddenly Messi is into that space, shoots to the right of the goalkeeper for the game winner. And that was how he got his goal against Iran. With the game coming to a close, Iran got too deep, Messi got a one-on-one matchup with the defender and saw space to his left if he cut in... With 11 men behind the ball, but with that crucial narrow space opening up, Messi unleashed a brilliant strike to win it... Goals change perceptions as quickly as they change games. Suddenly Messi was doing what some had demanded. Carrying Argentina on his back to a victory. It was a wonderful World Cup moment, without question, but those demanding it, should be careful what they wish for. This is not Messi of 2010 and it is not even close. Yet. By not scoring, and therefore not having a moment, in South Africa Messis legacy was seen as tarnished for not performing at a World Cup. Now he looks tired and isnt quite at the same level, but scoring, everything seems to be fine again. It just goes to show you what a staggeringly misguided argument it was in the first place. Germany 2-2 Ghana There is no room for perfection in a World Cup like this..dddddddddddd Germany, superior against Portugal, were clearly the most impressive team after the first round of games but it just wouldnt be Brazil 2014 if that was allowed to continue. Germany, much like Italy and Spain this week, spent some time in the heat of Brazil struggling to get back in a match. The big difference was they had a record breaker to bring off the bench. For the first time since 1994, the Germans trailed at the World Cup after leading and, stunned at 2-1, on came Miroslav Klose. Two minutes later he had them level, fittingly poaching at the backpost, equaling the Brazilian great Ronaldo with 15 World Cup goals. It was the fourth goal in a mad 20 minutes. Ghana had joined an ever-growing comeback club at this World Cup responding to a Mario Gotze opener with two excellent goals that highlighted some German weakness. Germanys weakness is their defence and they were easily outjumped by Andre Ayew to make it 1-1. The heat of Fortaleza certainly played a part but the tempo of their passing wasnt quick enough either and that showed when they turned the ball over on the second goal. Philipp Lahm has now had two opportunities to move back to right back in two games but so far Joachim Low has resisted. To get Bastian Schweinsteiger, Sami Khedira and Toni Kroos together, bringing more pace and power to their midfield, Lahm may need to move back to defence. Nigeria 1-0 Bosnia-Herzegovina The African momentum continued into the evening game, which was another wide open, stretched affair. The game swung in the first half when Edin Dzeko was wrongly ruled offside after putting his team ahead. Soon after, Nigeria, a constant threat down the right side, opened the scoring when Emmanuel Emenike crossed for Peter Odemwingie to smash home. The Europeans were poor in the second half and didnt threaten enough until Vincent Enyeama produced a wonderful save with his legs in the dying moments. Seen as some as a dark horse heading in, the World Cup rookies are eliminated at the first fence. Another lesson that far too much emphasis can be placed on form from qualifying, which ended eight months ago. Man of the Day Nominees Ashkan Dejagah – Iran had many stars on this day but the Fulham man was incredibly lively when they countered and could have had a penalty when tripped by Pablo Zabaleta. Javad Nekounam – If Dejagah was the star going forward, his midfielder teammate was marvelous maintaining the shape and discipline of their back lines. Lionel Messi – It could have been a two yard tap-in and it still would have been a massive moment, given the timing of the goal, but in the end it was an absolutely stunning goal. Miroslav Klose – Any player who equals any stat held by the great Ronaldo is special. Emmanuel Emenike – It was a dominant display from the forward tearing apart Emir Spahic at the heart of the Bosnian defence. The winner... Lionel Messi – Who else? What comes next? Belgium vs. Russia (12pm/9am), South Korea vs. Algeria (3pm/noon), USA vs. Portugal (6pm/3pm). Burning question for Sunday Can the USA stop Joao Moutinho from dictating a game from midfield? Key stat of Day 10 Try this on your friends – what do Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Stoke City have in common? They are the three teams that have had players score past their club goalkeeper. Zinedine Zidane vs Iker Casillas (2006), Wesley Sneijder vs Julio Cesar (2010) and now Peter Odemwingie vs Asmir Begovic (2014). ' ' '