Wild at Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are looking to avoid losing back-to-back home games for the first time since the final week of October when they host the Central Division-leading Minnesota Wild on Saturday night. The Canucks had their eight-game point streak (7-0-1) at Rogers Arena halted in Thursday's 4-1 setback to Pacific Division front-runner San Jose.
Vancouver ranks 27th in the league in scoring but had one of its highest outputs of the season in a 5-4 victory over the visiting Wild on Nov. 29. The scoring struggles have been particularly acute as of late with a total of 10 goals over the past seven games. Minnesota turned in one of its worst efforts of the season in a 5-1 loss at Calgary on Tuesday, snapping a 14-game road point streak with only its fifth defeat in the past 27 games (22-4-1). The Wild, who haven't lost two straight since a three-game skid from Nov. 26-Dec. 2, hold a four-point lead over Chicago in the Central with three games in hand.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), CBC, Sportsnet (Vancouver)
ABOUT THE WILD (33-12-5): With Charlie Coyle mired in a deep slump and coach Bruce Boudreau becoming increasingly impatient with his first-line forward, Minnesota summoned 2014 first-round pick Alex Tuch from Iowa of the American Hockey League. Coyle is in a 12-game goal drought and has mustered a paltry 10 shots on goal during that span. "We'll figure it out," Boudreau said. "I’m told he’s gone through this every year. I’ll have a talk with him and see if we can’t get him straightened out.”
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (23-22-6): Forward Jannik Hansen, who has been sidelined 17 games since a knee-on-knee hit versus Winnipeg on Dec. 22, practiced again Friday and hopes to be back in the lineup against the Wild. Hansen had five goals and four assists in 18 games prior to the injury and will likely take the roster spot of Jayson Megna, who has zero goals and three points over the past 22 games. Netminder Ryan Miller has lost three straight starts, although he's received three goals of support.
OVERTIME
1. Wild F Jason Zucker has scored in back-to-back games and has seven goals in the last 11.
2. Miller is 6-6-0 with a bloated 3.40 goals-against average versus Minnesota.
3. Wild C Mikael Granlund has two goals and 11 assists during an 11-game point streak.