Preview: The Wild, which plays its next five on the road, has won three in a row overall and three in a row on the road that began with a 3-2 victory at Anaheim on Nov. 13. In Bruce Boudreau's coaching debut Friday, the Ducks lost to Philadelphia, 4-3, in overtime for its 17th loss in the past 19 games.

Players to watch: G Josh Harding is expected to start. He is 6-2-1 and ranks fifth in the NHL (minimum 600 minutes) with a 1.96 goals-against average and second with a .938 save percentage. He is 2-3 all-time vs. Anaheim with a 2.63 goals-against average and .918 save percentage. C Kyle Brodziak has four goals, a shootout goal and an assist in the past six games. Along with C Matt Cullen and LW/RW Devin Setoguchi, Brodziak leads the Wild with eight goals. RW Nick Johnson has a point in four in a row. This is the 12th Koivu Bros. matchup. Anaheim's Saku has five points against Mikko; the Wild's Mikko has eight points against Saku and the Wild is 6-5 against him. Ducks RW Teemu Selanne has 20 points in his past 19 games. C Ryan Getzlaf and RW Corey Perry each have 10 points in their past eight games.

Numbers: Ten of the Wild's 16 victories have come after trailing 1-0 (first in the NHL). ... The Wild is 16-1 when allowing two or fewer goals; 0-6-3 when yielding three or more. ... The Ducks have been shorthanded a league-high 120 times and have taken a league-high 130 minor penalties.

Injuries: Wild LW/RW Cal Clutterbuck (leg) is questionable. G Niklas Backstrom (groin), D Justin Falk (upper body), D Marek Zidlicky (concussion) and LW Guillaume Latendresse (concussion) are out. Ducks C Jason Blake (wrist), D Lubomir Visnovsky (finger), D Matt Smaby (thumb), G Dan Ellis (groin) and RW George Parros (eye) are out.

MICHAEL RUSSO