The Wild are 5-0-1 in their past six games at home, and will play their next three games at Xcel Energy Center. Goaltender Devan Dubnyk, who is expected to start, is 3-1-0 with nine goals allowed in his past four starts. The Flames eye their third straight victory after going 2-4-2 in their previous eight games. Goaltender Mike Smith is expected to start; he is 1-0-1 with three goals allowed in his past two starts after giving up 10 goals in his previous two games.
Players to watch
Flames forward Sam Bennett has eight points (three goals, five assists) in his past seven games. Wild forward Eric Staal, who had two goals and an assist in a 4-3 overtime victory at the San Jose Sharks on Sunday, has 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in his past 14 games. He leads Minnesota in points (26), assists (14) and shots (91).
They said it
"We had a big talk this morning about [Minnesota] and it's pretty simple: they're stingy … They're one of the stingiest teams in the League, that don't give you much and you have to embrace that type of game here." -- Flames coach Glen Gulutzan "It's almost like a Jekyll and Hyde thing [with Calgary]. When they're good they're really good. When they're not so good they're average. … It's something that if we want to make the playoffs, we have to beat these guys and put everybody that's ahead of us behind us." -- Wild coach Bruce Boudreau
Jagr skated Monday but did not make the trip to Minnesota. … Spurgeon is nearing a return and is expected to join the Wild for practice on Wednesday.
Stat pack
Gaudreau has three points (one goal, two assists) in his past eight games after having 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) in his previous 12. … Zucker has three points (one goal, two assists) in the past two games. … Granlund has three assists in his past two games and 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in his past 13 games.
