Wild at Jets
After enjoying a 5-2-1 homestand that lasted three weeks, the Western Conference-leading Minnesota Wild return to the site of their most-recent road game when they visit the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. Minnesota concluded its string at Xcel Energy Center on Monday with a 5-4 overtime victory over Los Angeles, as newcomer Ryan White recorded a goal and an assist before Mikael Granlund tallied 12 seconds into the extra session.
White and Martin Hanzal were acquired Sunday from Arizona and contributed in different ways, with the former providing offense and the latter delivering a game-high five hits. The Wild, who have recorded 40 wins for the seventh time in franchise history, enter Tuesday three points ahead of second-place Chicago in the Central Division with two games in hand and three behind Washington in the race for the Presidents' Trophy while having played one fewer contest. Winnipeg, which suffered a 4-2 loss to visiting Minnesota on Feb. 7, trails St. Louis by five points for the second wild-card spot in the West but has played two more games. The Jets open a season-high six-game homestand Tuesday riding a five-game point streak (3-0-2) as they concluded a four-game road trip with an overtime loss in Toronto on Feb. 21 before taking their bye week.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), TSN3 (Winnipeg)
ABOUT THE WILD (40-14-6): The acquisition of Hanzal and White came at the right time for Minnesota, as Zach Parise and Jason Pominville were diagnosed with the mumps and missed Monday's contest. The Wild improved to 3-0-0 against the Jets in the last meeting thanks to Pominville, who registered two goals and two assists in the triumph and collected 24 points over 22 games before becoming ill. Granlund's overtime winner against the Kings, which came in his 300th NHL contest, extended his goal-scoring and point streaks to three and four games, respectively, while giving him 20 tallies for the first time in his career.
ABOUT THE JETS (28-29-6): Winnipeg welcomed its mandatory break but is hoping the time off doesn't affect its performance on the ice. "Hopefully (Tuesday) there's no rust and we're right back at it," center Bryan Little told the team's website after Monday's practice. "Guys treated this break a little differently. I think everyone just relaxed, and guys got in some workouts and stayed in shape." Despite having six days off, rookie Patrik Laine (30 goals) trails league leader Sidney Crosby of Pittsburgh by only four tallies in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy.
OVERTIME
1. The Wild made a deal with Arizona for the second time in two days, sending LW Teemu Pulkkinen to the Coyotes for future considerations on Monday, and also saw C Zac Dalpe get claimed off waivers by Columbus.
2. Winnipeg recalled D Julian Melchiori, who appeared in five games earlier this season, from Manitoba of the American Hockey League.
3. Minnesota C Charlie Coyle's next assist will be the 100th of his career while RW Chris Stewart is one point shy of 300.