Oilers at Wild
Devan Dubnyk has made quite the difference for his new team, and he looks to continue his dominance over one of his former clubs when the Minnesota Wild host the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. Dubnyk (13-2-1, 1.64 goals-against average, .936 save percentage) is in line to make his 18th consecutive start for Minnesota, which is a league-best 13-2-2 since Jan. 15. The Wild have won both meetings with the Oilers in Edmonton this season and are a blistering 20-2-1 versus the Western Conference cellar dwellers since Jan. 16, 2007.
Dubnyk has yielded four goals en route to winning all five decisions against Edmonton this season - including a 15-save performance in a 4-0 victory on Friday. Minnesota followed that win by claiming its third straight, erupting for six third-period goals in a 6-2 triumph over Dallas on Sunday. The Wild are clinging to a one-point lead for the second wild-card spot in the West - a perch to which they've ascended for the first time since Nov. 24 - while Edmonton followed Friday's loss with a 2-1 setback to Anaheim two nights later.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, RSN (Edmonton), FSN North, FSN Wisconsin (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE OILERS (17-34-10): Nail Yakupov has been heating up after a lackluster beginning to the season, collecting four goals and as many assists in his last eight games. The top overall pick of the 2012 draft, Yakupov aggravated an injury that he suffered versus the Ducks and exited Monday's practice. "Last game, he tweaked something. He got through the game, but we just shut him down (today) for precautionary reasons," interim coach Todd Nelson said. "He’s making the trip and we’ll see how he is (Tuesday)."
ABOUT THE WILD (31-21-7): Jonas Brodin is riding a career-best four-game point streak and fellow defenseman Christian Folin has recorded three assists in his last two contests. Speaking of blue-liners, Minnesota will be without Jared Spurgeon (upper body) for the third straight game after he absorbed a shot from Calgary captain Mark Giordano last week. "Just continue to monitor it and consider it day-to-day," coach Mike Yeo told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune of Spurgeon.
OVERTIME
1. Minnesota LW Zach Parise scored two goals versus the Stars after notching two assists against Edmonton on Friday.
2. Oilers D Jeff Petry is expected to return from a two-game absence due to a rib injury.
3. Dubnyk has recorded five shutouts in his brief time with Minnesota.