Golden Knights at Wild
The Minnesota Wild have been dominant at home this season and hope to continue the trend when they host the Western Conference-leading Vegas Golden Knights on Friday. Minnesota owns a 17-4-4 record at Xcel Energy Center and carries a nine-game home point streak (7-0-2) into the matchup against the surprising expansion team.
The Wild, who are six points out of third place in the Central Division and part of a crowded pack that is battling for wild-card spots in the West, went 5-0-2 in their own building in January and haven't lost there in regulation since dropping a 3-2 decision to Edmonton on Dec. 16. Minnesota has earned points in nine of its last 11 overall contests (7-2-2) after Zach Parise tallied in the fourth round of the shootout at Columbus on Tuesday for a 3-2 triumph. Vegas owns a 12-point lead in the Pacific Division after edging Winnipeg 3-2 in overtime on Thursday for its third straight road victory and second on its six-game trek. David Perron scored the winner and also set up a goal, giving him four tallies and six assists during his seven-game point streak as the Golden Knights moved to 4-0-1 in their last five away from home.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network
ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (34-12-4): Perron is not the only member of the team wielding a hot stick, as Erik Haula is riding a four-game goal-scoring streak and a seven-game point run during which he has collected four tallies and five assists. The 26-year-old Haula, who spent the first four seasons of his career with Minnesota, needs one goal to reach 20 for the first time in the NHL. Reilly Smith has scored in each of the first two games of the road trip after being kept off the scoresheet in six consecutive contests.
ABOUT THE WILD (27-18-5): Jason Zucker reached the 20-goal plateau for the third time in four seasons - and his career - on Tuesday, forging a tie with All-Star Eric Staal for the team lead. The 26-year-old left wing, who is two tallies away from matching the career high he set last season, has scored in five of his last six contests and is riding a seven-game point streak during which he has collected five goals and two assists. Nino Niederreiter, who needs two goals to reach 100 for his career, is expected to return Friday after missing eight games with a lower-body injury.
OVERTIME
1. Wild D Ryan Suter's next assist will be his 400th in the NHL.
2. Vegas' win on Thursday was its 34th of the season, setting a new record for an expansion team.
3. Minnesota has earned points in 17 of its last 18 home games (14-1-3).