Preview: This is the second of 19 sets of back-to-back games this season for the Wild. In its first, the Wild lost in a shootout against the Carolina Hurricanes on Oct. 8. The Canucks will be looking to make amends for Tuesday's 6-2 loss at Minnesota, a game in which the Wild went 3-for-3 on the power play. The Wild is 0-3-1 in its past four at Vancouver.
Players to watch: Jose Theodore is expected to make his first career start with the Wild. The former Hart and Vezina trophy winner has started only three games in Canadian cities in the past two seasons and is 5-7-2 all-time in Vancouver with a 3.34 goals-against average and .882 save percentage. Canucks captain Henrik Sedin, last season's NHL MVP and leading scorer, is the second-leading scorer in history against the Wild with 45 points. His 38 assists rank first. Twin brother Daniel Sedin has 38 points in 53 games against the Wild.
Numbers: The Wild went 7-8 in the second of back-to-backs last season. ... Before Thursday's games, the Canucks led the NHL with .570 faceoff win percentage and the Wild was third at .556. The Wild's power play ranked first at .458 and the Canucks' fourth at .259.
Injuries: Wild RW Pierre-Marc Bouchard (post-concussion syndrome) is out. Canucks RW/C Rick Rypien (suspended), D Keith Ballard (concussion), D Sami Salo (Achilles), LW Alex Burrows (shoulder) and C Alex Bolduc (ankle) are out.
Players to watch: Jose Theodore is expected to make his first career start with the Wild. The former Hart and Vezina trophy winner has started only three games in Canadian cities in the past two seasons and is 5-7-2 all-time in Vancouver with a 3.34 goals-against average and .882 save percentage. Canucks captain Henrik Sedin, last season's NHL MVP and leading scorer, is the second-leading scorer in history against the Wild with 45 points. His 38 assists rank first. Twin brother Daniel Sedin has 38 points in 53 games against the Wild.
Numbers: The Wild went 7-8 in the second of back-to-backs last season. ... Before Thursday's games, the Canucks led the NHL with .570 faceoff win percentage and the Wild was third at .556. The Wild's power play ranked first at .458 and the Canucks' fourth at .259.
Injuries: Wild RW Pierre-Marc Bouchard (post-concussion syndrome) is out. Canucks RW/C Rick Rypien (suspended), D Keith Ballard (concussion), D Sami Salo (Achilles), LW Alex Burrows (shoulder) and C Alex Bolduc (ankle) are out.
