VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- It had been almost two months since the Minnesota Wild were able to celebrate a win on the road. Brian Rolston was just hoping they remembered how.
Marian Gaborik scored twice to help the Wild snap an 11-game winless streak on the road with a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.
The win also put an end to the Canucks' season-high seven game win streak.
"I told the guys that if we ever won another one on the road that we couldn't be throwing our sticks up in the air or anything. We had to act cool," said Rolston.
Gaborik, who added an assist, was playing just his third game since returning to the Minnesota lineup after missing 34 games with a serious groin injury. The right winger, who went without a point in his first two games back, now has six goals and 10 points this season.
Gaborik's first goal, which opened the scoring just three minutes into the game, ended an 0-for-15 drought by the Wild on the power play.
Brian Rolston, who had a goal and two assists for the Wild, made it 2-0 midway through the first period as Minnesota dominated the early portion of the game.
The Wild took a three-goal lead early in the second period as Branko Radivojevic was the recipient of a perfect cross-ice pass from Rolston, which he slipped past Canucks' netminder Roberto Luongo for Minnesota's second power-play goal of the game.
Vancouver came back with two goals in the second period as Taylor Pyatt and Willie Mitchell scored.
"We knew we had to go out and continue to force the play, which is what we did. We didn't sit back like we had in previous games and let them back into the game," Rolston said. "We kept pressing, smartly, and we won a big game for us."
Gaborik's second of the game, five minutes into the final period, put an end to any hopes the Canucks had of extending their winning streak. Wes Walz finished the scoring for the Wild.
"It was a big win for us. We have been struggling on the road but we came out very well and were forechecking them, we were on their butts all the time," said Gaborik. "And it felt good for me, after two months, to get that first goal. But the biggest thing is that we won on the road.
"This was very important for the team. Hopefully this is how we start winning on the road more often."
The victory was just the fifth of the season for the Wild on the road.
Manny Fernandez got the win in net for Minnesota, who outshot Vancouver 38-26.
Game notes
Vancouver defenseman Rory Fitzpatrick, the subject of an internet campaign aimed at earning him a starting role in the NHL All-Star Game in Dallas, was a healthy scratch for the Canucks. Fitzpatrick finished third in voting among Western Conference defensemen. ... The Canucks sold out GM Place for the 150th consecutive game, with 18,630 fans on hand. The sellout streak dates back to November 2002. ... Rolston has nine points (5-4-9) in his last seven games and leads the Wild in scoring with 22 goals and 40 points.