Wild gameday
3 P.M. VS. WINNIPEG • Xcel Energy Center • FSN, 100.3-FM
Preview: The Wild, 8-2 at home, is coming off a 3-2 loss to Vancouver and is playing a team that has lost eight of its past 10 (2-7-1). The Jets are top-heavy, having gotten one goal since Nov. 5 from their bottom-six forwards. The Wild is 7-3-3 in its past 13 against the Jets, and since Atlanta moved to Winnipeg, the Wild is 4-1-2 against the Jets at home.
Players to watch: Wild LW Zach Parise (sprained knee) practiced Thursday and might return for the first time since Nov. 5. C Mikko Koivu is on a seven-game point streak. C Mikael Granlund has seven points in his past seven games after five in his first 13. D Ryan Suter ranks third among NHL defensemen with 20 points and has 14 in his past 12 games. … Jets RW Blake Wheeler has a point in 17 of 23 games, with eight goals and a team-leading 23 points. F Matthieu Perreault just ended a 16-game goal drought. RW Nikolaj Ehlers has no goals in his past 14 games.
Numbers: The Jets' penalty kill has given up 14 goals in the past 12 games. … The Wild is 5-2-2 against the Central Division.
Injuries: Wild RW Justin Fontaine (knee), D Marco Scandella (lower body) and C Tyler Graovac (sports hernia) are out. Jets G Ondrej Pavelec (knee) and D Grant Clitsome (back) are out.
MICHAEL RUSSO
