wild gameday
5 p.m. VS. CALGARY • XCEL Center • FSN, 100.3-FM
Preview: The Wild, after winning two of three on the road, returns home for its final three home regular-season games. The Wild is 13-6-2 at home but is 0-3-1 in its past four at the X. The Flames have won four of their past five. The lone loss was a 4-3 defeat Monday at home against the Wild.
Players to watch: Little Falls' Ben Hanowski, the former St. Cloud State standout and all-time Minnesota high schools leading scorer, is expected to play his first NHL game in his home state. Hanowski scored in his NHL debut last Monday against the Wild. …Wild G Niklas Backstrom is 21-2-4 all-time in his first start after being pulled; 17-0-2 with a 1.60 goals-against average and .943 save percentage since March 26, 2008.
Numbers: The Wild is 11-3-2 against the Northwest Division, including eight victories in a row.
Injuries: Wild LW Mike Rupp (lower body) is questionable. RW Dany Heatley (shoulder surgery) and C Zenon Konopka (broken foot) are out. Flames D Derek Smith (lower body), LW Alex Tanguay (knee), LW Curtis Glencross (knee), D Dennis Wideman (broken finger) and LW Steve Begin (hand) are out.
MICHAEL RUSSO