The Stars' playoff chances took a hit Thursday after their loss to the Wild but with the team still mathematically in the mix, the Wild isn't expecting a letdown in the rematch between these two teams Saturday in Dallas.
"They still got a shot," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "The way things worked out last night, it was good for them. So they still got a shot, so they're not going to give us an inch."
Dallas could, however, be eliminated from contention with a regulation loss; even a point will keep its playoff hopes alive; in that regard, the Wild could encounter an even more desperate group than the one that skated in the 5-2 loss Thursday at Xcel Energy Center.
"The difference between that game for a win and loss was very, very narrow," Boudreau said.
Defenseman Nick Seeler will draw back into the Wild's lineup after sitting out last game; fellow blue liner Gustav Olofsson didn't make the trip to Dallas, as he's out with an upper-body injury.
Up front, the Wild isn't making any changes – meaning winger Tyler Ennis will be a healthy scratch for a fourth consecutive game.
"I feel bad because Tyler works really hard and he's done a great job," Boudreau said. "But A, we have to see if [Jordan] Greenway can play well enough to play in the playoffs and it's a short sample size. And because the fourth line was doing what they did, I didn't want to break them up. I wanted them to feel some continuity. But Tyler's going to get back into a game very soon."
Projected lineup:
