Wild GameDay
7 P.M. VS. CALGARY • Xcel Energy Center • FSN, 100.3-FM
Preview: This is the Wild's first meeting this season against a former Northwest Division foe, and bizarrely, it's the first in which Minnesota doesn't go head-to-head vs. Jarome Iginla (now with Bruins) and Miikka Kiprusoff (retired), the all-time leading scorer (35 goals, 65 points) and all-time winningest goalie (29 wins) vs. the Wild. Minnesota has won five of six; the Flames are coming off an overtime victory at Chicago.
Players to watch: Wild C Mikael Granlund has a career-best five-game point streak (seven points). LW Nino Niederreiter has nine points in 15 games with Minnesota after three points in 64 games with the Islanders. G Josh Harding leads the NHL with a 1.10 goals-against average and .950 save percentage. G Reto Berra might start for Calgary. He made 42 saves in his NHL debut Sunday, becoming the sixth goalie in NHL history to beat a defending Stanley Cup champ in his debut. C Jiri Hudler is tied for 14th in the NHL with 15 points. C Sean Monahan is tied for NHL's rookie lead with 11 points.
Numbers: The Wild is second in the NHL with a .557 faceoff win percentage; the Flames rank 30th (.435). Zenon Konopka ranks first in the NHL (.684) and Mikko Koivu ninth (.578). … It's a battle between two poor penalty kills: Wild ranks 28th (.763); Flames rank 25th (.773). The Wild's power play ranks second (.246); the Flames rank 21st (.154).
Injuries: Wild C Charlie Coyle (knee) is doubtful and LW Mike Rupp (knee) is out. Flames D Mark Giordano (ankle) and RW Lee Stempniak (foot) are out.
MICHAEL RUSSO
