Wild gameday 7 p.m. vs. Chicago • FSN, 107.9-FM

Wild seeks consistency against Chicago

Preview: The Wild (5-4-2) will look to avoid last season's fate, when the team beat Chicago (6-5-2) in the first meeting of the season but dropped the remaining three. A 5-2 result Oct. 12 was the Wild's first victory of the season. Chicago is coming off its first shutout, which ended a three-game losing streak.

Quotable: "I just think it's such a rivalry. They've met in the playoffs quite a few times and in proximity to us, they're fairly close. An in-divisional game, I just think the games are very tight checking and every game has such meaning. … We have to be able to put games together and not just be mediocre. Win one, lose one, win one, lose one, during the course of the year. Because if you look at teams that make the playoffs, they're generally 15 games over .500. You've got to put a pretty good run together to get to that stage. And the fact that it's the Blackhawks, who have been the premier team, not only in our division but in the league the last few years, it's easier to get up." – Coach Bruce Boudreau.

Numbers: Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford ranks fourth in the league with a 1.92 goals-against average and third with a .941 save percentage.

Injuries: Forwards Zach Parise (back) and Charlie Coyle (leg) are out while Landon Ferraro (hip) is questionable. Forwards Marian Hossa (allergies) and Jordin Tootoo (upper body) and defensemen Michal Rozsival and Gustav Fors­ling (upper-body injuries) are out for Chicago.

Megan Ryan