Wild at Flames
After ending their eight-game winless skid in John Torchetti's debut as interim coach, the Minnesota Wild look to post consecutive victories for the first time in nearly two months when they visit the Calgary Flames on Wednesday. Minnesota secured just its second win in 15 contests on Monday when it opened a three-game road trip with a 5-2 victory over Vancouver.
"There was life in the room and on the bench. Guys played hard, guys competed. I thought we were a tough team to play against," said forward Zach Parise, who scored on Monday and has seven goals in his last nine meetings with Calgary. The Wild won all three encounters last season with the Flames, who dropped a 6-4 decision on Monday in the opener of their three-game homestand to fall to 4-7-0 in their last 11 contests at Scotiabank Saddledome. Former Duck Jonas Hiller yielded four goals on 17 shots before being relieved in the second period, but owns an 11-6-2 career mark against Minnesota.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), RSN (Calgary), NHL.TV
ABOUT THE WILD (24-22-10): Charlie Coyle scored on Monday for his sixth goal in 10 contests and notched three assists in last season's sweep of the Flames. Veteran Thomas Vanek also recorded three points (one goal, two assists) against Calgary in 2014-15 and has scored a goal and set up three others in his last four contests overall. Devan Dubnyk turned aside all 30 shots he faced in a 1-0 triumph over the Flames on Jan. 29, 2015, before making 35 saves three weeks later in a 3-2 win to improve to 9-5-3 in his career versus the club.
ABOUT THE FLAMES (25-27-3): Calgary's troubles on the penalty kill have continued as it has allowed three power-play goals in three consecutive games. "It's really frustrating," center Mikael Backlund said of the team's NHL-worst 73.4-percent efficiency on the penalty kill. "We were doing so much better after Christmas and we were trying to build on it." Calgary limited Minnesota to only three power-play opportunities in three games last season, thwarting the Wild on two of them.
OVERTIME
1. Calgary LW Johnny Gaudreau recorded a goal and four assists in his last three games overall, but was held off the scoresheet in all three meetings with Minnesota in 2014-15.
2. The Wild have converted on the power play in eight of their last 10 contests.
3. Flames RW Jiri Hudler has three goals and five assists in his last seven games.