Gameday: Wild vs. Dallas

Last update: November 7, 2009 - 12:27 AM

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7 P.M. VS. DALLAS • XCEL CH. 45, 830-AM

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Preview: The Wild, 4-2 at home, closes out a brief, two-game homestand against the former North Stars before hitting the road for four games out east. The Wild is coming off an ugly 5-2 loss to Vancouver after winning consecutive games against the Rangers and the Penguins. The Stars were 0-1-2 in their past three before playing host to the Canucks on Friday night.

Players to watch: Wild C Kyle Brodziak is second on the team with four goals and has three in his past two games. RW Martin Havlat, who has no goals since Oct. 8, scored three goals and three assists against the Stars last season and has 16 points in 12 career games against Dallas. RW Antti Miettinen was a longtime Star. ... Former North Stars C Mike Modano is off injured reserve and has 24 points in 31 games vs. the Wild. Before Friday, F Brad Richards was tied for fifth in the NHL with 13 assists. C Mike Ribeiro has 15 points in 16 games against the Wild and LW Brenden Morrow has 15 points in 25 games against the Wild.

Numbers: D Brent Burns is an NHL-worst minus-12. C Mikko Koivu and Havlat are the two worst plus-minus forwards in the NHL at minus-11. ... The Stars are sixth in the NHL at 3.33 goals per game; the Wild is 28th at 2.13 goals per game. ... Dallas has the sixth-worst road penalty kill at 72.4 percent.

Injuries: Wild C Eric Belanger (upper body), who missed practice Friday, is questionable. D Kim Johnsson (shoulder), who practiced Friday, and RW Pierre-Marc Bouchard (concussion) are out. ... James Neal, the Stars' leading goal-scorer with nine, is questionable because of a groin injury. He has a seven-game point streak.

MICHAEL RUSSO

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