Preview: Wild vs. Edmonton

March 29, 2009 at 12:17AM

Preview: The Wild, 3-2 this season against Edmonton, closes the season series. The Wild is winless in its past four trips to Edmonton, and G Niklas Backstrom has been yanked in his past four starts there. After winning three in a row, the Oilers have lost three of their past four but are coming off a 5-3 victory at Anaheim.

Players to watch: RW Marian Gaborik has 16 goals and 37 points in 43 games vs. the Oilers. RW Pierre-Marc Bouchard, who missed Saturday's game at Calgary because of a headache, has 29 points in 34 games vs. the Oilers, while RW Owen Nolan has 44 points in 55 games against them. Former Wild goalie Dwayne Roloson will start his 31st consecutive game for the Oilers. Against the Wild, C Shawn Horcoff has 20 points in 40 games and RW Ales Hemsky has 12 points in 34 games.

Numbers: The Wild is 6-9 in the second of back-to-backs. ... The Oilers have the fourth-worst penalty kill in the NHL (77.6 percent).

Injuries: Wild D Brent Burns (concussion) and LW Derek Boogaard (upper body) are out. C Mikko Koivu (knee) and Bouchard (headache) are questionable. Oilers D Lubomir Visnovsky (shoulder) is out.

MICHAEL RUSSO

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