Blues at Wild preview

BLUES (34-25-4) at WILD (35-20-7)
8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, NHL.TV

The six-game skid is the Blues' longest since they lost seven in a row (0-5-2) from Dec. 26, 2009 to Jan. 7, 2010. St. Louis is one point behind the Los Angeles Kings for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.
The Wild have won four in a row, are 6-1-1 in their past eight games and 15-4-4 in their past 23. They're three points ahead of the Dallas Stars for third place in the Central Division.
A five-game winning streak would be Minnesota's longest this season.

Players to watch

Blues forward Alexander Steen is without a point in his past four games after getting 14 (seven goals, seven assists) in his previous 13.
Wild center Eric Staal has seven points (four goals, three assists) in a four-game point streak and 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in his past 17 games.

They said it

"I think we have to play the game and stop stressing about maybe scoring goals and making the plays that need to play. With the amount of skill and talent [we have], the goals will come if we just do our jobs." -- Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo
"It's like fighting a wounded dog, or wounded bear, whatever the saying goes, but I mean, [the Blues are] going to be very desperate right now and we have to be as desperate as them. It should make for a good battle." -- Wild coach Bruce Boudreau

Blues projected lineup

Alexander Steen -- Ivan Barbashev -- Vladimir Tarasenko
Jaden Schwartz -- Brayden Schenn -- Nikita Soshnikov
Patrik Berglund -- Vladimir Sobotka -- Tage Thompson
Scottie Upshall -- Kyle Brodziak -- Dmitrij Jaskin
Jay Bouwmeester -- Alex Pietrangelo
Vince Dunn -- Colton Parayko
Carl Gunnarsson -- Jordan Schmaltz
Jake Allen
Carter Hutton
Scratched:Oskar Sundqvist, Chris Thorburn
Injured:Joel Edmundson (forearm), Robert Bortuzzo (knee)

Wild projected lineup

Jason Zucker -- Eric Staal -- Mikael Granlund
Zach Parise -- Mikko Koivu -- Nino Niederreiter
Charlie Coyle -- Joel Eriksson Ek -- Tyler Ennis
Daniel Winnik -- Matt Cullen -- Marcus Foligno
Ryan Suter -- Jared Spurgeon
Jonas Brodin -- Mathew Dumba
Nick Seeler -- Nate Prosser
Devan Dubnyk
Alex Stalock
Scratched:Gustav Olofsson
Injured:None

Status report

Bortuzzo skated for the first time since he was injured in a 2-1 loss at the Dallas Stars on Feb. 16. … Brodin returns after missing the past nine games with a left hand injury.

Stat pack

Tarasenko has six points (three goals, three assists) in his past seven games. …Granlund has five points (two goals, three assists) in his past three. … Zucker has six points (three goals, three assists) in his past five.