Wild gameday

5 P.M. AT FLORIDA • FSN, 107.9-FM

Preview: The Wild, 2-1-3 in the second of back-to-back games, plays its third game of a four-game trip against one of the hottest teams in the NHL. The Panthers set a franchise-record with their eighth consecutive victory with a 3-0 win over the Rangers on Saturday. They went 11-3 in December, recording 22 points to lead the NHL, marking the club's highest win and point totals for any month in franchise history.

Players to watch: RW Jaromir Jagr, 43, leads the Panthers with 26 points and was named an All-Star Game captain on Saturday. C Aleksander Barkov led Florida with 13 points (5-8-13) in 14 games in December, while Barkov, D Aaron Ekblad and RW Reilly Smith each scored a team-leading five goals in that span. G Al Montoya is expected to start vs. the Wild. He's 5-1-1 with a 1.79 goals-against average. Wild RW Jason Pominville and LW Thomas Vanek have combined for 34 goals and 66 points lifetime against the Panthers.

Numbers: The Wild swept last season's series 2-0 and is 12-2-3 all-time vs. the Panthers. … Before Saturday, Florida ranked first in the NHL for fewest goals allowed in the first period (18) and third for fewest allowed on the season (83).

Injuries: Wild G Darcy Kuemper (concussion) is out. Panthers C Nick Bjugstad (migraines) may return after missing 15 games; C Dave Bolland (lower body) is day-to-day; and D Steve Kampfer (lower body) is out.

MICHAEL RUSSO