Preview: The Wild, 7-3 in its past 10 in Calgary after starting 3-18-4 there, is coming off its first regulation road victory since last February and is 4-1-1 in its past six overall. This is the first of a home-and-home set finishing in Minnesota on Tuesday. The Wild beat the Flames in Calgary 2-1 in a shootout Monday. The Flames have dropped three of their past four.
Players to watch: Since Jan. 27, C Matt Cullen, coming off a two-goal, three-point performance in Thursday's 3-1 victory at Edmonton, leads the Wild with nine points. Cullen is two goals from becoming the 37th American-born NHL player to score 200. G Niklas Backstrom is 3-0-1 in his past four starts with a 1.42 goals-against average. D Ryan Suter has five assists and is plus-3 in his past six games. He leads the league in ice time per game (27:38). Flames RW Jarome Iginla is the all-time leading scorer against the Wild with 35 goals and 64 points in 68 games.
Numbers: Backstrom is 14-9-5 with a 1.88 goals-against average against Calgary -- his second-lowest GAA against any Western Conference team. Backstrom is 6-1 with a 0.90 goals-against average and .972 save percentage with three shutouts at the Saddledome. ... The Wild is 3-for-32 on the power play (9.4 percent) over the past 11 games.
Injuries: Wild RW Cal Clutterbuck (thigh contusion) and G Josh Harding (symptoms related to multiple sclerosis) are out. Flames G Miikka Kiprusoff (knee) and C Mikael Backlund (knee) are out.
MICHAEL RUSSO
