The Jets allowed five goals in the first period of a 6-3 loss at the Calgary Flames on Wednesday. Connor Hellebuyck, who was pulled in the first period after allowing three goals on nine shots, is expected to start for Winnipeg, 4-1-1 in its past six games. Devan Dubnyk, who was pulled in the third period of a 6-4 win against the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday, will miss the game because of illness. Alex Stalock will start for the Wild, who are 5-3-0 in their past eight games.
Players to watch
Jets forward Patrik Laine has scored five goals in his past two games. Wild defenseman Mathew Dumba has seven points (five goals, two assists) in a five-game point streak and leads NHL defensemen with 10 goals this season.
They said it
"I think it was just embarrassing. That's not the Winnipeg Jets. That's not the way we want to play this game. It was bad. It was real bad. We can't let that happen again." -- Jets forward Patrik Laine on allowing five goals in the first period on Wednesday "It can be a frustrating game against them if you keep allowing yourself to get stopped in the neutral zone. If we can get in with possession, that'll be the best thing. Otherwise, remember to keep getting it behind their defense to make them go the whole length of the ice." -- Wild forward Zach Parise
The Jets didn't hold practice Thursday. … Kahkonen, Minnesota's fourth-round pick (No. 109) in the 2014 NHL Draft, was recalled from Iowa of the American Hockey League. The 22-year-old native of Helsinki, Finland, was 4-1-1 with a goals-against average of 0.98 and a save percentage of .966. Niederreiter was moved to the fourth line Wednesday and practiced there Thursday, rotating with Hendricks.
Stat pack
Scheifele has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in his past six games. … Byfuglien has 11 points (one goal, 10 assists) in his past 10 games. … Wheeler has 21 points (two goals, 19 assists) in his past 14 games. … Dumba is the sixth defenseman to score at least 10 goals through his team's first 22 games since the 1989-90 season. … Koivu has eight points (two goals, six assists) in a five-game point streak. … Winnipeg has allowed two goals or fewer in four of its past six games.
