wild gameday
7 p.m. VS. NASHVILLE • Xcel • NBCSN, 100.3-FM
Preview: After a 1-2-1 road trip, the Wild will play six of its next seven games on home ice as it tries to find its scoring touch. The Predators — who beat the Wild 3-2 in Nashville on Oct. 8—enter the game on a hot streak, with a 4-0-1 record in their past five.
Players to watch: Wild C Mikko Koivu has 29 points in 27 games against the Predators; LW Dany Heatley, who has no goals and two assists this season, has 24 points — including 14 goals — in 21 games vs. Nashville. … Predators C Matt Cullen, who played three seasons with the Wild before signing with Nashville last summer, has two goals and two assists. D Seth Jones leads NHL rookies in ice time (24 minutes, 28 seconds per game) and has two goals and two assists.
Numbers: Wild D Ryan Suter will play his 600th NHL game; he played the first 542 with Nashville.
Injuries: Wild C Charlie Coyle (knee) and LW Mike Rupp (knee) are out; D Keith Ballard (head) is questionable. Nashville D Roman Josi (concussion) is out; C Mike Fisher (lower body) and LW Rich Clune (personal reasons) are listed as questionable.
RACHEL BLOUNT
