Wild at Coyotes
THE STORY: It must seem unfair to the rest of the league that the Minnesota Wild have stumbled upon another hot netminder. Rookie Matt Hackett has been a revelation in a two-game cameo, stopping 76 of 78 shots after regular second-stringer Josh Harding went down with a neck injury. But the Wild crease still belongs to No. 1 netminder Niklas Backstrom, and he'll likely get the start Saturday as he returns from injury to face the Coyotes in Phoenix. Backstrom was the backup Thursday night as Hackett – the nephew of former NHL netminder Jeff Hackett – shone in his first NHL start, beating the Los Angeles Kings 4-2 on the strength of a 42-save performance. Whoever tends goal for Minnesota will face a Coyotes club that went 2-1 on a three-game road swing capped by a 5-2 loss to Detroit on Thursday. It's the first meeting of the season between the division leaders.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Fox Sports North, Fox Sports Wisconsin, Fox Sports Arizona
ABOUT THE WILD (19-7-3): The pecking order in the Minnesota goal remains in place despite Hackett's heroics. Backstrom is the unchallenged starter, with Harding expected to resume his No. 2 role once healthy. It hasn't mattered who has been in net of late for the Wild, who have six consecutive wins and have allowed more than three goals just once in that span. A win Saturday would be the franchise-record seventh consecutive victory away from Minnesota.
ABOUT THE COYOTES (15-10-3): Phoenix never stood a chance against the Red Wings, handing them their first five-goal opening period in nearly three years. The Coyotes allowed a power play goal in five chances to Detroit, marking the fourth straight game Phoenix has been scored on while shorthanded. Meanwhile, their own power play finally struck on Thursday to halt a seven-game drought during which the club went 0-for-14.
OVERTIME:
1. Phoenix has won six of the last eight meetings, including a 1-0 triumph in their previous encounter back on Feb. 5.
2. Minnesota captain Mikko Koivu is flexing some offensive muscle following a slow start to the year. The Finnish star has five goals and 11 assists over his last 11 games.
3. The Wild haven't won seven straight games since March 2007, when it reeled off nine consecutive victories.