Preview: The Wild, 9-3 at home with four consecutive victories, searches for a season-best five-game winning streak overall. It is 6-1-3 in its past 10. Starting with a 0-0 tie in 2000, the Panthers are the only team that has not earned a regulation victory at Xcel Energy Center. Florida is 2-2-3 since GM Tom Rowe assumed coaching duties for fired Gerard Gallant on Nov. 27.
Players to watch: You never know when RW Jaromir Jagr, 44, is making his last appearance in St. Paul. The future Hall of Famer ranks third all-time with 755 goals and third with 1,883 points. C Aleksander Barkov leads Florida with 20 points. C Nick Bjugstad, the former Gophers standout, has no points in 10 games this season. G Roberto Luongo is 3-11-3 all-time in St. Paul with a 3.21 goals-against average and .884 save percentage. Wild G Devan Dubnyk is 6-0-2 in his past eight games with a 1.69 goals-against average and .941 save percentage. LW Nino Niederreiter has nine points in the past 10 games. LW Zach Parise has no goals and one assist in the past seven games.
Numbers: The Wild's power play is 0-for-17 in the past seven games. … Of the Wild's 27 games, 18 have been one-goal outcomes (7-7-4). … The Panthers' power play ranks 29th (13.3 percent).
Injuries: Wild LW Chris Stewart (maintenance) didn't practice Monday but is probable, and coach Bruce Boudreau (illness) missed Monday's practice as well. D Christian Folin (knee) is cleared to return and questionable. C Zac Dalpe (knee) is out. Panthers LW Jonathan Huberdeau (Achilles) and D Alex Petrovic (ankle) are out. C Jonathan Marchessault (lower body) might return.
Michael Russo
