Wild at Senators
The Minnesota Wild were the hottest team in the league but saw their four-game winning streak come to a crashing halt in a 6-2 drubbing in Montreal on Tuesday. Minnesota attempt to bounce back from its first regulation defeat since Oct. 28 when it visits the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night. "It's all a matter how you take this one in," Wild coach Mike Yeo said after the drubbing. "If this stings like it should, it should be motivating for us to win that game."
Ottawa is in a bit of a rocky stretch of its own, dropping two straight and three of its last four. Goaltending, considered a strength of the team entering the season, suddenly has become an issue as Craig Anderson allowed 11 goals over three straight starts and Robin Lehner had his three-game win streak snapped in Tuesday's 5-2 loss to Philadelphia. The Senators have dominated the series in recent seasons, winning six consecutive meetings against Minnesota, but the teams haven't met since October 2011.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN North Plus (Minnesota), TSN, RDS
ABOUT THE WILD (13-5-4): Josh Harding has been superb all season and was in net for each game of Minnesota's 7-0-1 run to open this month, allowing a total of 12 goals in that span before he was yanked in the second period of Tuesday's rout. Harding has allowed as many as three goals only twice - both against Montreal - and is expected to get the start against Ottawa. Dany Heatley recorded his third goal of the season Tuesday, with each of them coming on the power play.
ABOUT THE SENATORS (8-9-4): Ottawa needs to tighten up its penalty-killing unit after surrendering six power-play goals in the last four games. The Senators could also use a return to form from Anderson, who led the league in goals-against average (1.69) and save percentage (.941) last season, but has only one win in his last seven starts and has been pierced for 28 goals in that time. Anderson has made 12 appearances against Minnesota, compiling a 3-6-2 record and 2.99 GAA.
OVERTIME:
1. Harding will be making his first start and second appearance versus Ottawa.
2. The Senators continue to put themselves in a hole, giving up the opening goal in 15 of 21 games.
3. Minnesota hasn't won in Ottawa since February 2003.