Zach Parise returns to Wild lineup vs. Coyotes; Evason says they had 'great meeting'

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Zach Parise will return to action Friday at Arizona after he was a healthy scratch Wednesday for the first time in his Wild career.

"Zach and I had a great meeting today," coach Dean Evason said. "We're going forward. I can't remember what happened yesterday, and neither can he. We're going forward."

Parise's addition won't be the only change for a Wild squad coming off a 5-1 loss in Vegas on Wednesday.

Evason has reunited the team's best line to start the season, moving Marcus Foligno alongside Joel Eriksson Ek and Jordan Greenway. And Brad Hunt will draw in for Carson Soucy on defense, a change indicative of Soucy's play but also the team wanting to get Hunt a game.

This will be Hunt's first appearance since Feb.2 and the first time Soucy has been a healthy scratch this season.

"What we like about his game and when it's really good, it's really urgent," Evason said of Soucy. "It's really heavy, and it's really hard. If he brings that each and every night, clearly he's going to give our hockey club an opportunity to have success."

Kaapo Kahkonen will be in net for the Wild. He's on a career-high five-game win streak, stopping 128 of 137 shots during that span. His win streak is the longest by a rookie goalie this season.

"He doesn't give up on any pucks," Evason said. "We've talked about it before his practice habits are never giving up on a puck. That translates into a game. He's never out of a play no matter where the puck is or where it's going. He's going to battle to get there."

Projected lineup:

Jordan Greenway-Joel Eriksson Ek-Marcus Foligno

Kirill Kaprizov-Victor Rask-Mats Zuccarello

Zach Parise-Nick Bjugstad-Kevin Fiala

Nico Sturm-Nick Bonino-Kyle Rau

Ryan Suter-Jared Spurgeon

Jonas Brodin-Matt Dumba

Ian Cole-Brad Hunt

Kaapo Kahkonen

Key numbers:

16-4-3: Record for the Wild against the Coyotes in their last 23 matchups.

2: Points separating the Wild and Arizona in the standings, with the Wild ahead.

3: Goals for winger Marcus Foligno on this road trip.

9: Points for Foligno over his past eight games.

7-4-1: Showing on the road this season by the Wild.

About the Coyotes:

As expected, the Coyotes and Wild are close to each other in the standings – with the Wild slightly better at 25 points compared to 23 for Arizona. The Coyotes have been up and down of late, snapping a two-game losing streak Wednesday with a win at Los Angeles. Overall, the tam is 4-4-2 in its last 10 games. Winger Conor Garland leads Arizona in points with 20. Center Christian Dvorak's nine goals are tops on the team.