Flames at Wild
The Minnesota Wild will look to extend their winning streak to four games at the expense of a familiar face on Thursday when the Calgary Flames pay a visit to the Xcel Energy Center. Niklas Backstrom, who is the Wild's franchise leader in victories (194), shutouts (28) and games played (409), will return to the crease on the heels of leading Calgary to a 4-1 win over Montreal on Sunday.
"It's going to be weird. It will be really weird," Backstrom told the Pioneer Press of facing the team with which he spent 10 years before being dealt along with a draft pick to the Flames on Feb. 29 for veteran forward David Jones. Minnesota's current starting goaltender is in the midst of another late-season surge as Devan Dubnyk improved to 8-1-1 on Tuesday with a campaign-best 38 saves in a 2-1 triumph over Los Angeles. Captain Mikko Koivu scored versus the Kings and also tallied in a 5-3 win over the Flames on Feb. 17 to extend the Wild's winning streak to five in the series. Minnesota holds a one-point lead over Colorado for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference with the clubs meeting at the Pepsi Center on Saturday.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, RSW (Calgary), FSN North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE FLAMES (31-36-6): Joe Colborne recorded his sixth goal and ninth point in nine contests on Monday, but Calgary suffered its first regulation loss in five outings (3-1-1) with a 5-2 setback to Toronto. The 26-year-old's scoring binge has been a welcome sight for the Flames, but Colborne was held in check in the first encounter with the Wild and has mustered only two points - both assists - in seven career meetings against them. Fellow forward Matt Stajan also tallied versus the Maple Leafs for his second goal in three games after being held off the scoresheet in each of his previous 12 outings.
ABOUT THE WILD (35-28-11): Although Jason Pominville was a full participant in Wednesday's practice, the veteran forward stopped short of guaranteeing himself a spot in the lineup against the Flames. "I have no idea, I'm sure it's something we'll talk about," Pominville told the Minneapolis Star Tribune on whether he'd end his seven-game absence due to a groin injury. "It felt good, haven't had any pain, felt pretty good, so we’ll see (Thursday.)" Zach Parise, who missed Wednesday's practice as he nurses an undisclosed upper-body injury, is expected to be in the lineup versus Calgary.
OVERTIME
1. Minnesota C Erik Haula, who had a goal and an assist in the previous meeting with Calgary, has collected three of each during his six-game point streak.
2. Flames D T.J. Brodie set up a pair of tallies in the first encounter with the Wild and has two assists in his last three contests.
3. Minnesota has thwarted all 15 short-handed situations in the last eight games while Calgary is a perfect 11-for-11 on the penalty kill in the last four.