Wild at Canucks
The visiting Minnesota Wild and reeling Vancouver Canucks are each mired in three-game losing skids heading into the finale of their regular-season series on Tuesday at Rogers Arena. The clubs have each secured a win at their home rink, however the Wild had won six of their previous eight trips to British Columbia before a 5-2 setback versus the Canucks on Oct. 29.
Minnesota, which posted a 6-2 win over Vancouver at Xcel Energy Center on Nov. 15, begins a three-game trek through Western Canada after dropping a 5-3 decision to Toronto on Saturday. Ryan Suter set up a goal in that contest and has five assists in his last five games to tie with captain Mikko Koivu with a team-leading 17 for the Wild. Suter and Koivu each have scored a goal and set up two others against the Canucks this season, while Vancouver rookie Elias Pettersson and Markus Granlund have scored twice in the series and Bo Horvat has a goal and an assist. The 23-year-old Horvat tallied late in the first period of Saturday's 2-1 loss versus Dallas, as Vancouver dropped to 0-2-1 on its five-game homestand and 1-9-2 in its last 12 contests overall.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS North, FS Wisconsin (Minnesota), Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver)
ABOUT THE WILD (14-10-2): Zach Parise was held off the scoresheet against the Maple Leafs after erupting for 10 points (eight goals, two assists) in his previous 11 games. Fellow forward Eric Staal scored his 10th goal on Saturday to move within two of team leader Parise heading into the contest versus Vancouver, against which he has a goal and an assist this season to boost his point total to 14 (five goals, nine assists) in 21 career encounters. Defenseman Matt Dumba, who also has 10 tallies this season, has been held off the scoresheet in back-to-back contests after notching five goals and as many assists during a seven-game point streak.
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (11-15-3): Vancouver bolstered its depth at forward on Monday by acquiring Josh Leivo from Toronto in exchange for fellow forward Michael Carcone of Utica of the American Hockey League. The 25-year-old Leivo recorded six points (four goals, two assists) in 27 games this season for the Maple Leafs, who needed to free up a roster space after William Nylander signed a six-year contract on Saturday. Carcone, 22, has scored six goals and set up 11 others in 20 games with the Comets in 2018-19.
OVERTIME
1. Vancouver LW Loui Eriksson has collected 36 points (16 goals, 20 assists) in 38 career games against Minnesota.
2. Wild F Mikael Granlund (team-leading 26 points) is the older brother of Markus Granlund.
3. Canucks G Jacob Markstrom improved to 2-1-0 in four career appearances versus Minnesota after turning aside 37 shots on Oct. 29.