Wild gameday

Last update: December 30, 2008 - 11:34 PM

Preview: The Wild, which has lost nine of 11 and is winless against the West (0-8-1) since Dec. 3, plays host to the best team in the NHL, San Jose, which is 8-0 (including two OT/shootout wins) in its past eight against the Wild. In those eight meetings, the Wild has scored more than two goals only once. The Wild's nine regulation losses in December are its most ever in one month. A regulation loss would give the 3-9-1 Wild its worst month ever.

Players to watch: The Sharks have three forwards in the top 20 in scoring -- C Joe Thornton is tied for fifth with 42 points, C Patrick Marleau is tied for 10th with 40 and RW Devin Setoguchi is 20th with 36. Marleau is seventh with 18 goals. Dan Boyle leads all NHL defensemen with 30 points. G Evgeni Nabokov has 12 wins against the Wild, second to Miikka Kiprusoff's 21. Wild LW Stephane Veilleux has three goals in his past five games and a career-high three-game point streak. C Eric Belanger has 11 points in his past 14 games.

Numbers: The Wild hasn't scored a power-play goal in the past eight home games vs. San Jose (1-6-1, Cliff Ronning, Feb. 7, 2003). The Wild, which has 18 goals in the past 11 games, has been outscored 10-2 in the past 12 first periods. The Wild has allowed the first goal in 11 consecutive games.

Injuries: Wild RW Marian Gaborik ("lower body") and D Kim Johnsson (personal) are questionable. D Marc-Andre Bergeron ("lower body"), RW Owen Nolan (leg) and D Kurtis Foster (broken leg) are out. Sharks F Torrey Mitchell (broken leg) and C Jeremy Roenick (shoulder) are out.

MICHAEL RUSSO

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