The Wild are one point behind the Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets for the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Minnesota has won a season-high six straight road games and seven of nine overall. The Kings have won a season-high four straight games and have allowed three goals in that span. They are coming off a 1-0 shootout win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday for their first shutout of the season. Los Angeles is last in the Western Conference.
Players to watch
Wild forward Zach Parise has scored in four straight games. He has eight points (four goals, four assists) during a five-game point streak. Kings forward Adrian Kempe has seven points (one goal, six assists) in the past 10 games.
They said it
"I don't know where his ceiling is, but it sure looks high right now. … He's committed to doing the right things and he's getting rewarded for it." -- Wild coach Dean Evason on forward Kevin Fiala "I think we found our identity, be a tighter checking team. We're not going to win scoring eight goals a night like some teams do in this league. If we check tight, play hard and compete hard we have a good chance to win most nights." -- Kings forward Blake Lizotte
Petersen will start in goal, coach Todd McLellan said. Petersen has won his past two starts and has saved 77 of 79 shots (.975 save percentage) in them. … Carter, a forward, will miss his eighth straight game.
Stat pack
The Wild have scored 36 goals in their past nine games, most in the NHL since Feb. 19. … Fiala has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) during an NHL career-high six-game point streak. He has at least one assist in six straight games (seven total), an NHL career high. … The Kings are 5-for-17 (29.4 percent) on the power play in their past seven games. … Doughty needs one point for 500 in the NHL.
