The Wild again looks to clinch a playoff spot tonight when it plays the best road team in the NHL. The San Jose Sharks are 27-10-3 away from Silicon Valley.
Any combination of 2 points gained by the Wild or lost by the Avalanche get the Wild in.
So that means any type of Wild win, an Avalanche regulation loss or a Wild overtime/shootout loss AND an Avalanche overtime/shootout loss.
Game 81, and the Wild's three-game losing streak will result in coach John Torchetti not only shaking up the lineup, but also tossing in a couple players from Iowa. In Game 81. On a day the Wild would like to clinch a playoff spot.
Spin doctoring aside, this is an indictment of the team and not a positive sign.
Zac Dalpe will make his Wild debut either on the right side of the Jason Zucker-Charlie Coyle line, the middle of the Zucker-Coyle line or both. He thinks he's playing wing and in line rushes Coyle played center, but I've got a feeling it'll be both. Dalpe played center in Iowa. More on him in a sec.
Defenseman Christian Folin will play on the right side of veteran Nate Prosser.
The fourth line will be Chris Porter-Jarret Stoll-David Jones.