Wild at Sharks
The Minnesota Wild enjoyed a December to remember with a staggering 12 straight wins before a lackluster performance against the league's hottest team spoiled their New Year's Eve festivities. The Wild look to rid the sour taste from their mouths and return to their winning ways on Thursday as they open a three-game road trip against all three members of the California contingent, beginning with a visit to the San Jose Sharks.
Devan Dubnyk was named the NHL's Third Star for December after posting a 10-1-1 mark with a stingy 1.88 goals-against average and .934 save percentage, but the honor came on the heels of a losing effort in a 4-2 setback to white-hot Columbus. The 30-year-old Dubnyk hasn't fared well versus San Jose, losing 10 of 15 decisions (5-8-2) with an elevated 3.07 goals-against average. Like the Wild, the Sharks enjoyed a strong surge in December with wins in eight of nine before ending the month and beginning this one with a setback to Los Angeles. Martin Jones turned aside 57-of-62 shots versus his former team, but owns a solid 10-4-1 mark with a rail-thin 1.67 goals-against average at home this season.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NHL.TV, FSN North, FSN Wisconsin (Minnesota), CSN California (San Jose)
ABOUT THE WILD (23-9-4): Coach Bruce Boudreau tinkered with his top line by elevating Jordan Schroeder to play alongside forwards Zach Parise and Eric Staal while veteran Jason Pominville will look to end his 14-game goal drought while competing on the fourth line. "That's the only real line that we’re still trying to find the right combinations for Zach and Eric, so I figured maybe if we're going to start (Schroeder) there in San Jose that we could get a couple good practices under our belt with him there," Boudreau said. The 26-year-old Schroeder has two goals and two assists in his last five games and could light a fire under Parise, who has a disappointing 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 27 contests this season.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (23-13-2): Promising Timo Meier was elevated to the top line to join veterans Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski while fellow rookie Kevin Labanc returned to the second line. "These are two great players. Playing with them, it's going to be a lot of fun," the 20-year-old Meier told the San Jose Mercury News of Thornton and Pavelski. "But it's important that I just go out there and play my game. They're going to make great passes. It's just about me paying attention to details." While Meier and Labanc have made an impact since being recalled from San Jose of the American Hockey League, Patrick Marleau was bumped to the third line and Matt Nieto (two assists in 16 games) found himself the odd-man out on Wednesday and was placed on waivers.
OVERTIME
1. San Jose D Brent Burns has 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in his last 20 games overall and 10 (two goals, eight assists) in 16 career contests versus the team that drafted him in 2003.
2. Minnesota C Mikael Granlund has recorded four multi-point performances in his last five games, including scoring a goal and setting up an other in each of his last two.
3. Sharks C Logan Couture, who scored on Tuesday, has collected a goal and two assists in his last two meetings with the Wild.