Wild at Blues
The Minnesota Wild will be without a few key cogs heading into the opener of their four-game road trip. Zach Parise (lower body) has been ruled out of Thursday's tilt with the Central Division-rival St. Louis Blues, but coach Mike Yeo expressed to reporters that the veteran forward could return to action later in the trek.
"As much as anything, just a little maintenance right now," Yeo told the Minneapolis Star Tribune of Parise, who missed eight games in November with a knee injury. "It's something we don't have a lot of concern for, but we'd just rather take a little time here and make sure he gets fully rested, right and ready." While Minnesota posted a 3-1 win over Detroit on Tuesday to split a four-game homestand, St. Louis has won six of eight to move into second place in the division. Rookie Robby Fabbri has ignited the third line by scoring a goal for the fourth time in five games during Tuesday's 4-3 overtime win over Nashville.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
ABOUT THE WILD (19-10-6): Darcy Kuemper has been brilliant while playing in place of former Vezina Trophy finalist Devan Dubnyk, but the backup will miss the entire road trip due to what Yeo termed a "mild concussion." Dubnyk will receive the bulk of the work with veteran Niklas Backstrom waiting in the wings to make his first start in almost a calendar year. The schedule likely dictates that both goaltenders will see action as Minnesota plays four games in six nights and eight in the next 13.
ABOUT THE BLUES (23-12-4): Alex Steen netted the overtime winner on Tuesday for his second goal in three games and scored in both meetings with Minnesota earlier this season. The 31-year-old added an assist in St. Louis' 3-2 setback on Oct. 10 before the Blues rebounded to win by the same score three weeks later. Jake Allen, who is 11-5-1 at home with a 1.95 goals-against average, has won seven of his last nine starts overall after making 30 saves versus the Predators.
OVERTIME
1. Minnesota has lost 10 of 15 contests on the road this season (5-5-5).
2. St. Louis is 1-for-10 on the power play in the last four contests.
3. The Wild won their first three games without Parise last month before losing four of the next five (1-3-1).