GAMEDAY: Wild

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For the last three days, Wild players have had to deal with questions about a five-game winless skid. And in those last three days, they've pointed to improved play, two comebacks that have produced points in the standings and returns of players from injury that should have this team turning a corner and pushing for a playoff spot. After all, despite sitting idle since Saturday, the Wild finds itself just six points back of the eighth place Anaheim Ducks who have played five more games.

But as we know, what you say is different from what you show, and the Wild has a chance this weekend to show that it is a contender in the West, starting tonight in Phoenix.

The Wild started its string of four straight road games against Pacific Division opponents with a 4-3 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars on Saturday. After trailing 2-0, Minnesota battled back on goals from Antti Miettinen and Chuck Kobasew. Again, the Wild feel behind, but Martin Havlat forced overtime with a late third period goal for the second straight night. Jose Theodore took the OT loss after stopping 29 of 33 shots.

While the Wild has had time to reflect on a winless skid, the Coyotes have had three days to enjoy a 3-0 shutout win over the Ducks on Sunday. Ilya Bryzgalov stopped all 26 shots he faced, while Taylor Pyatt, Shane Doan and Lee Stempniak accounted for the goals.




Health is always a concern for every team, and players go down. The Wild has been without its leading goal scorer from last year for most of the season with Guillaume Latendresse requiring surgery. But other than him, the Wild roster is re-stocked with healthy players who were counted on at the beginning of the season. Kobasew returned from a lower body injury on Saturday and promptly picked up his second score of the season, and Brent Burns is ready to go again despite taking a Greg Zanon helmet to the face on Friday night.


Todd Richards continues to tinker, but that's a good thing when he's got a full complement of healthy bodies.

Brunette-Koivu-Miettinen

Bouchard-Brodziak-Havlat

Clutterbuck-Cullen-Kobasew
O'Sullivan-Madden-Nystrom


Everybody is ready to go on the back end, including Clayton Stoner, who has been out with an upper body injury:

Zanon-Zidlicky
Schultz-Burns

Spurgeon-Barker


Coming off a solid performance against Calgary on Friday, Nik Backstrom will get the start tonight.

 

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Bryzgalov will make his 23rd start of the season against the Wild,

a team the Coyotes beat 4-2 in Minnesota on Dec. 1 with backup Jason LaBarbera in net.

Bryzgalov has allowed two goals or less in five of his last six starts, and has notched two shutouts in that span.

?(Bryzgalov) is the backbone of our team,? Head Coach Dave Tippett said. ?We play a style that he realizes he can have success with. He's doing his part. He's a fantastic goaltender.?

The Coyotes have beaten the Wild five games in a row dating to the 2008-09 season, and have outscored Minnesota 18-10 in those games. Winger Scottie Upshall has chipped in four of those 18 goals.

?We have to play sound in the offensive zone and we can?t give them too many opportunities,? Coyotes captain Shane Doan said. ?They are good on the rush so the onus is in making sure that we?re in their zone and we?re solid and not turning the puck over and giving them chances? if we can keep the puck in front of us, we?ll be OK.?