Preview: The Wild has lost two in a row but can clinch a playoff spot with a victory over the Jets and an Avalanche loss in regulation to the Blues. The Wild has dropped three out of four this season to Winnipeg, which has had a disappointing season and won't play in the playoffs. The Wild has earned points in 10 of its past 15 games against the Jets (7-5-3), including a 3-2-1 record in its past six games in Winnipeg.
Players to watch: Jets RW Blake Wheeler is on a seven-game point streak (four goals, 10 points) and ranks 11th in the NHL with a career-high 72 points. D Dustin Byfuglien is coming off his third three-point game of the season. He is tied for fourth among NHL defensemen with 18 goals. C Mark Scheifele is on a six-game point streak (nine points) and leads with 26 goals. Wild LW Zach Parise has 15 points in the past 15 games and leads the Wild with 25 goals. He is one goal from 300 and ranks 21st among active NHLers with 299. Ryan Suter leads Wild defensemen with a career-high 43 assists and 51 points. C/RW Mikael Granlund has a career-high 12 goals and 43 points. C Erik Haula's 10-game point streak came to an end Friday in Detroit.
Numbers: The Jets allow the sixth-most goals in the NHL (2.91), have the league's worst power play (13.9 percent) and sixth-worst penalty kill (78.7 percent).
Injuries: Wild D Jared Spurgeon (lower body) is questionable. LW Ryan Carter (personal) is out. Jets C Bryan Little (back), RW Anthony Peluso (shoulder), C Mathieu Perreault (concussion), D Toby Enstrom (knee) and D Tyler Myers (knee) are out.
MICHAEL RUSSO
