Stars at Wild
The Minnesota Wild put their perfect home record on the line when the Central Division-rival Dallas Stars pay them a visit on Saturday. Minnesota improved to 4-0-0 at Xcel Energy Center this season by rallying from a two-goal deficit in the third period to post a 4-3 shootout win over San Jose on Thursday. "It's not something you want to make a habit out of, digging yourself into a hole," Wild coach Mike Yeo said of his team, which also overcame a 3-1 deficit to defeat Boston on Tuesday.
Kyle Brodziak scored his first two goals of the season to record his 12th career multi-goal performance in the victory. While Minnesota has won two in a row, Dallas has dropped three straight (0-1-2) after suffering a 2-1 overtime loss to Anaheim on Friday. Antoine Roussel netted his second goal in three contests but has yet to find the back of the net in six career meetings with Minnesota.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest Plus (Dallas), FSN North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE STARS (4-2-4): Kari Lehtonen suffered the hard-luck setback against the Ducks to fall to 4-0-4 on the season and is expected to yield on Saturday to Anders Lindback, who has permitted nine goals on 60 shots and dropped both of his decisions in regulation. The Swede has fared better in two meetings - one start - versus Minnesota, winning his lone decision while stopping 37-of-40 shots overall. Dallas failed to score on six power-play opportunities on Friday after converting in each of its previous six contests.
ABOUT THE WILD (6-3-0): Thomas Vanek's agent told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that his client bet on football and was paying off a gambling debt but was not involved with wagering on hockey. "Thomas is not in any way, shape or form involved in any illegal activities or in trouble here," agent Steve Bartlett told the newspaper on Friday. Vanek has testified in a federal illegal gambling and money laundering case in Rochester, N.Y., with the NHL declaring on Friday that it is keeping a close eye on the events. Vanek, who did not publicly comment following Friday's optional practice, notched a pair of assists versus San Jose and leads the team in that department with seven.
OVERTIME
1. Minnesota's pronounced power-play troubles continued on Thursday, as it failed on its lone attempt with the man-advantage to fall to 0-for-27 on the season.
2. Dallas C Tyler Seguin and captain Jamie Benn saw their seven-game point streaks come to an end on Friday.
3. Jack Jablonski, who initially was paralyzed from the chest down after a hit from behind in a high school hockey game, will join Jeremy Roenick and U.S. Olympic Team members Neal Broten, Rob McClanahan and Dave Christian in guiding the arena in hockey's largest stick tap event during the first intermission on Saturday.