Minnesota ( 1) at Phoenix ( 7)

PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Daymond Langkow erased all doubt as to whether
the struggling Phoenix Coyotes could make the playoffs.

Langkow scored twice in a five-goal second period as the Coyotes
clinched their sixth playoff berth in seven years with a 7-1 rout of
the Minnesota Wild.

"It's been a great year for us," Langkow said. "We had a lot of fun
together and right from day one started to jell as a team. The
chemistry was there. We came together and we got a playoff berth."

Phoenix's leading scorer, Langkow started the second-period deluge by
tipping in a pass from Mike Johnson for a shorthanded tally at 6:25.
He capped a three-minute outburst with his 27th to extend the
Coyotes' advantage to 7-0.

Phoenix, which has just just two wins in its last five games, was
assured of a playoff spot when Edmonton lost at home to Calgary. The
Coyotes are tied with Los Angeles for the sixth seed in the Western
Conference.

"I talked to my dad throughout the third period of the Edmonton
game. I was calling him every four minutes to get updates," Coyotes
managing partner Wayne Gretzky said. "I've got to be honest, I didn't
expect Edmonton to lose tonight. I felt it was a game their team was
going to win, and we needed two wins to get into the playoffs. Their
misfortune is our fortune."

"(Assistant coach Pat) Conacher had headphones on and was
communicating with Steve Peters, our video coach, and he let them
know Edmonton pulled the goalie with a minute to go and let them know
again when (Calgary) scored an empty-netter," Phoenix coach Bob
Francis added. "I didn't even say anything then. Things worked out.
That's all you can say. We're in."

Sean Burke played the first 40 minutes and stopped all 14 shots he
faced. He was replaced by Robert Esche, who preserved the shutout
until Pascal Dupuis scored his second goal in as many games with
10:29 remaining.

The win was Burke's 33rd, matching the franchise record set by Brian
Hayward in 1984-85 and Bob Essensa in 1992-93.

Johnson collected three assists and Brad May scored the eventual game-
winner and set up another goal for Phoenix.

Ladislav Nagy started Phoenix' four-goal flurry with 8:37 left in the
second by skating across the crease from the left faceoff circle and
backhanding the puck under goalie Dwayne Roloson's glove. Landon
Wilson struck 19 seconds later from the top of the crease to put the
Coyotes ahead, 5-0.

The Wild received a scare moments later when Wilson, trying to score
his second of the night on a breakaway, collided with Roloson when
the goalie tried a pokecheck. Roloson was motionless on the ice for
several minutes.

But Denis Pederson chipped in his second of the season with 6:44 to
go in the period and Langkow capped the eruption 43 seconds later by
flipping the puck past Roloson, effectively chasing him from the nets.

"I think the score showed how much that meant to us," Coyotes
defenseman Todd Simpson said. "Everybody came out and blazed right
from the start and we kept on them, and finally the puck started
going in and they kept going in so it was great."

Roloson was replaced by rookie Derek Gustafson, who stopped seven
shots.

Minnesota, surrendered at least seven goals for the third time this
season, had a two-game unbeaten streak (1-0-1) snapped.

"We had our chances, but we didn't score," Wild coach Jacques Lemaire
said. "We didn't play well as a defensive group. The defensemen did
not play well. Burke was great. I feel we could have had five goals
easy if it weren't for Burke."

Score by Periods:
Minnesota 0 0 1 --1
Phoenix 2 5 0 --7


FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Phoenix, Radoslav Suchy 4 (Unassisted),
9:18.
2, Phoenix, Brad May 10 (Landon Wilson, Michal Handzus), 14:01.

Penalties: S Zholtok, Min (tripping), 9:46.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Phoenix, Daymond Langkow 26
(shorthanded) (Mike Johnson), 6:25.
4, Phoenix, Ladislav Nagy 21 (Mike Johnson), 11:23.
5, Phoenix, Landon Wilson 7 (Brad May, Todd Simpson), 11:42.
6, Phoenix, Denis Pederson 2 (Paul Mara, Landon Wilson), 13:16.
7, Phoenix, Daymond Langkow 27 (Mike Johnson, Ladislav Nagy), 13:59.

Penalties: L Nagy, Pho (hooking), 4:29;
J Marshall, Min (hooking), 8:37.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 8, Minnesota, Pascal Dupuis 15 (Willie
Mitchell, Wes Walz), 9:31.

Penalties: O Vaananen, Pho (cross checking), 7:29;
M Gaborik, Min (interference), 9:13;
T Simpson, Pho (high sticking), 9:13;
M Johnson, Min (elbowing, roughing), 10:52;
P Mara, Pho (roughing), 10:52;
B Brown, Min (elbowing game misconduct), 10:52;
S Blouin, Min (double slashing, fighting major), 15:36;
D Berehowsky, Pho (slashing, fighting major), 15:36.

Shots on goal:
Minnesota 5 9 5 --19
Phoenix 10 13 5 --28

Power-play Conversions: Minnesota - 0 of 2, Phoenix - 0 of 5.

Goalies: Minnesota, Dwayne Roloson (21 shots, 14 saves; record: 14-19-
7), Derek Gustafson (13:59 of 2nd period, 7, 7).
Phoenix, Sean Burke (14 shots, 14 saves; record: 33-21-6), Robert
Esche (start of 3rd period, 5, 4).

A: 16,210.

Referees: Greg Kimmerly, Mike Leggo.
Linesmen: Randy Mitton, Vaughan Rody.