Wild at Coyotes
The youth-infused Arizona Coyotes attempt to remain perfect on the season when they host the Minnesota Wild on Thursday. Arizona is off to a surprising 3-0-0 start thanks in part to rookies Anthony Duclair and Max Domi, who combined for four goals and an assist in Wednesday's 4-0 road triumph over Anaheim.
Duclair registered his first career hat trick to give him five points while Domi added a goal and an assist to double his totals in each category. Minnesota also is unbeaten as it began the campaign with one-goal victories over Central Division rivals Colorado and St. Louis. Zach Parise has four goals, including a hat trick in the season opener. The Wild swept the three-game season series in 2014-15, allowing a total of four goals.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSN North, FSN Wisconsin (Minnesota), FSN Arizona
ABOUT THE WILD (2-0-0): Parise is tied with four others for the league lead in goals, two of which have come on the power play. Devan Dubnyk is looking forward to returning to Arizona for the first time since being traded to Minnesota. "Having to get a chance to go back there, it was a short time, but an important time for me," he told the team's website. "The way I was treated there from the team and the coaches and management, it was a special time for me."
ABOUT THE COYOTES (3-0-0): After going 14-42-5 last season, Mike Smith was in desperate need of a bounce-back campaign. He's having just that, as he's begun 2015-16 at 3-0-0 with a microscopic 0.67 goals-against average and a stellar .981 save percentage. Smith made 37 saves Wednesday en route to his 28th career shutout - and first since 2013-14 - after being named the NHL's Third Star of the Week two days earlier.
OVERTIME
1. Minnesota RW Justin Fontaine (oblique) was activated from injured reserve Wednesday and is expected to be in the lineup, while C Tyler Graovac (groin) was placed on IR.
2. Arizona C Martin Hanzal collected three assists Wednesday to double his season total.
3. Parise and C Charlie Coyle (two) have combined to score six of the Wild's eight goals this season.