Wild at Blues
THE STORY: It wasn’t that long ago that the Minnesota Wild led the Western Conference. They now cling to the bottom of the playoff race. The Wild will look to turn their fortunes around on Saturday when they visit the St. Louis Blues. The Blues have also had a turn of fortune, but in a positive direction. They are currently challenging for the lead in the Central Division and Western Conference. This is the third of four meetings between the two teams this season. Minnesota won the first two games on home ice, including a 3-2 shootout win in the last meeting on Nov. 19th. Captain Mikko Koivu and Matt Cullen scored in the shootout for the Wild. T.J. Oshie was the lone shootout scorer for the Blues. Koivu scored both goals in regulation, including a late goal to send the game to extra time.
TV: 8 P.M. ET, FS-NO, FS-MW
ABOUT THE WILD (22-16-6): Minnesota, 2-7-1 in its last 10 games, is coming off a 5-2 loss to the Blackhawks on Thursday in Chicago. Devin Setoguchi and Kyle Brodziak scored in the loss. Goalie Josh Harding gave up four goals on 21 shots before giving way to rookie Matt Hackett, who stopped all eight shots he faced. Hackett has played in three games, starting once, for the Wild and has a 2-0-0 record. The Wild are in the midst of a four-game road trip. After St. Louis they visit Philadelphia and Toronto.
ABOUT THE BLUES (25-12-6): St Louis, 6-2-2 in its last 10 games, is coming off a 3-2 overtime loss at home to the Vancouver Canucks. Jason Arnott scored both goals for the Blues. Goalie Brian Elliott made 18 saves but fell to 15-5-1 on the season. St. Louis is 9-0-2 in its last 11 home games and sports an impressive 17-3-3 home record on the season. Prior to the loss to the Canucks, St. Louis posted back-to-back shutouts over the Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche. The meeting with the Wild is the second of five straight home games for the Blues.
OVERTIME:
1. St. Louis forward Alex Steen, who has missed the last seven games with concussion-like symptoms, is expected back Saturday.
2. Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo has eight points during his current and career-best five-game point streak.
3. Wild forward Dany Heatley has eight points in his last eight games.
PREDICTION: St. Louis 4, Minnesota 2.