wild gameday

6:30 P.M. at FLORIDA • BB&T ARENA • FSN, 100.3 FM

Preview: The Wild is 10-2-3 all-time against the Panthers and 5-2-1 in Broward County. Saturday's 2-1 loss to the Lightning ended a four-game winning streak. The Panthers are coming off a 2-1-1 road trip, including a game Saturday in Nashville when Rocco Grimaldo and Nick Bjugstad scored 12 seconds apart in the final minute of regulation to force overtime in an eventual shootout loss.

Players to watch: LW Nino Niederreiter, who leads the Wild with nine goals, has eight goals and three assists in the past 14 games. C Charlie Coyle has no goals since Oct. 23. LW Thomas Vanek leads with 10 assists but has one goal and 35 shots in 19 games. C Mikko Koivu has five points in 19 games (he had a five-point game at Florida in October 2008). If G Niklas Backstrom starts, he is 5-0-1 with a 1.95 goals-against average and .941 save percentage vs. Florida. Bjugstad has five goals and three assists during a four-game point streak and leads the Panthers with seven goals. G Roberto Luongo is coming off a season-high 48 saves at Nashville. Leading scorer Jussi Jokinen has 17 points against the Wild in 19 games.

Numbers: The Wild's power play ranks 28th in the NHL (9.7 percent) and 30th on the road (1-for-38, 2.6 percent). … The Wild has played in six straight scoreless first periods on the road (2-4) and has allowed seven first-period goals.

Injuries: Wild D Jonas Brodin (mumps-like symptoms) and LW Matt Cooke (hip flexor) are out. Panthers C Dave Bolland (lower body), LW Sean Bergenheim (lower body) and C Brandon Pirri (concussion) are out. RW Scottie Upshall (upper body) is day-to-day.

Michael Russo