Wild gameday

2 p.m. vs. St. Louis Ch. 11, 100.3-FM

Blues are hot, Wild is hungry

Preview: Still seeking its first win halfway through a four-game homestand, the Wild welcomes the NHL's hottest team to St. Paul for a matinee on national television. St. Louis has won nine in a row after blanking the Avalanche 3-0 Saturday afternoon in Denver. Winger Pontus Aberg could be back in the lineup for the Wild after practicing Saturday. He's missed the past seven games with a lower-body injury.

Players to watch: Blues F Vladimir Tarasenko has 19 points during an 11-game point streak. He and linemates Brayden Schenn and Ryan O'Reilly have recorded 37 points during the team's win streak. Wild D Brad Hunt is poised to get another look at forward after scoring a power-play goal and tallying an assist as a fourth-liner Friday in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Devils.

Numbers: The Wild is 7-2 in games that start at 3 p.m. or earlier.

Injuries: Wild Fs Victor Rask (lower body), Matt Hendricks (upper body) and Mikko Koivu (torn ACL and meniscus) and D Matt Dumba (torn pectoral) are out. Blues F David Perron (upper body) is also out.

SARAH MCLELLAN