Penguins at Wild
Although his team has struggled to ignite its offense this season, Evgeni Malkin is experiencing no such issue as the Pittsburgh Penguins forward scored three times in the last two games to boost his club-best goal total to 17. The 2012 Hart Trophy winner looks to continue his spirited surge when the Penguins return from the Christmas break to visit the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.
Malkin, who scored twice as Pittsburgh snapped a five-game skid with a 5-2 victory over Columbus on Monday, collected two goals and two assists in his team's 4-3 triumph over Minnesota on Nov. 17. The Wild dropped four of five to limp toward the end of the month, but improved to 7-2-2 in December with a 2-1 win over reeling Montreal on Tuesday. Stingy defense continues to be the calling card for Minnesota, which has yielded just 19 tallies in 11 games this month. Darcy Kuemper is 4-0-2 in his six December starts - with the first five coming as last season's Vezina Trophy finalist Devan Dubnyk nursed a mild groin injury.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), FSN North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (16-14-3): Captain Sidney Crosby sat out Monday's game with a lower-body injury, but resting over the Christmas break was expected to be the perfect present for the two-time Hart Trophy winner. Phil Kessel fared well in Crosby's absence, however, recording two goals while paired with Nick Bonino after mustering just one point - an assist - in his previous eight contests. Kessel, who is a five-time 30-goal scorer in his career, has tallied seven times in 15 road games for Pittsburgh this season.
ABOUT THE WILD (18-9-6): Mikael Granlund, who scored and set up a goal in the first meeting with Pittsburgh, notched his third assist in four games on Tuesday. Charlie Coyle is also heating up as he has scored a goal in back-to-back contests after enduring a nine-game stretch without one. "Just playing with a ton of confidence," coach Mike Yeo told the Pioneer Press of Coyle, who has recorded four points in as many contests while linemate Nino Niederreiter has five in as many games.
OVERTIME
1. Minnesota has received just two power-play opportunities over the last three games after going a blistering 5-for-8 with the man advantage in the previous two tilts.
2. Pittsburgh is 3-for-6 on the power play in the last two games after failing to convert in each of its 19 opportunities in the previous seven tilts.
3. Wild RW Jason Pominville has recorded five goals and four assists in his last 12 games.