Wild at Ducks
After an eventful week which saw Anaheim suffer its first regulation loss at home before defeating Los Angeles twice, the Ducks will try to avoid a letdown - and bid for their seventh straight victory over the Wild - when they host Minnesota on Tuesday. Anaheim is coming off a 3-0 victory over the Kings on Saturday before 54,099 at Dodger Stadium to improve to 21-3-0 in its last 24 games while increasing its NHL-leading point total to 83 - seven more than Chicago and Pittsburgh. "You take the emotion drop-off from the last two games, and (Monday) was more like ‘Do we have to work?,’” Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said. “Yeah, we have to work. The message was that we knew it was going to be tough. Let’s push yourself today so you’re not lethargic tomorrow.”
The Wild began a four-game road trip with a 3-2 overtime loss to San Jose on Saturday, but hold a four-point lead over Phoenix for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference despite an unsettled goaltending situation. Rookie Darcy Kuemper started his seventh consecutive game Saturday as Niklas Backstrom continues to be day-to-day with an abdominal injury and Josh Harding remains on injured reserve as he battles the effects of multiple sclerosis.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Prime Ticket (Anaheim)
ABOUT THE WILD (28-20-6): Minnesota is 8-3-1 since the calendar flipped to 2014 and despite squandering a 2-0 lead Saturday, picking up a key point could go a long way toward qualifying for the postseason. The Wild must play better on the road as their nine wins (9-13-4) are the least away from home among the 16 teams in playoff position. Zach Parise, second on the team with 15 goals, didn't record a point in two games since his return after missing 14 contests with a broken left foot.
ABOUT THE DUCKS (39-10-5): Boudreau said that Corey Perry, who is tied for second in the NHL with 28 goals, has "a whole lot of bumps and bruises,'' a result of player who does most of his damage in the dirty areas around the net. Perry did not practice Monday in what the team called a maintenance day, but is expected to be in Tuesday's lineup which is bad news for the Wild, who have been victimized by 16 goals in Perry's 31 career games against them. Anaheim, which is 21-1-2 at home, continues to receive solid goaltending from Jonas Hiller (24-6-4, 2.34 goals against average, .915 save percentage) and rookie Frederik Andersen (13-2-0, 1.87, .933)
OVERTIME
1. Anaheim's last four victories over Minnesota were by one goal, including a pair this season in the first two of three meetings.
2. Minnesota is 10th in the NHL in faceoff success at 51.3 percent, but lost 41-of-59 encounters in the circles while blowing a 2-0 lead against San Jose.
3. Wild D Ryan Suter leads the NHL at 29 minutes, 34 seconds played per game.