"It can. We just want to take it one game at a time like we always talk about. Our focus is on tonight and then we'll move on after. We want to make sure we're taking care of business here," said Wild forward Charlie Coyle. "We know any team can beat any team in this league on any given night. We have to make sure we bring our A-game.
"We have been playing good at home as of late. We obviously want to keep that going and come out with a good start like we're capable of and carry it through. If we bring that focus, we're going to be OK."
Arizona has struggled mightily this season, entering on a four-game losing streak and having won just three times in 2018. But the Coyotes have played a bunch of one-goal games lately, including a 4-3 loss at Central Division-leading Winnipeg on Tuesday.
With a solid goaltender in Antti Raanta between the posts and plenty of young, fearless talent in the lineup, the Coyotes shouldn't be taken lightly.
"When a team that you're playing is sort of out of the playoffs and they're loosey-goosey, they've got nothing to lose, they play really hard," said Wild coach Bruce Boudreau. "I've watched a lot of games and that's what they do, they play really hard. If they get a couple early goals then they're very difficult to beat."
The Wild will be without defenseman Jonas Brodin, who
had successful surgery
on his hand on Wednesday and will miss the next 3-4 weeks of action.
That
provides regular opportunities
for Gustav Olofsson and Mike Reilly, who will each be in the lineup.
Olofsson is expected to get the first crack at Brodin's top-four minutes, playing next to Matt Dumba.
"For the most part, he's done a really good job," Boudreau said. "I thought he was really good in St. Louis on Tuesday] and there are things where he's gotta continue doing that."
In an effort to shore up their defensive depth,
[the Wild traded forwards
Mario Lucia and Christoph Bertschy to the New Jersey Devils for defenseman Viktor Lööv.
Lööv has two assists in four career NHL games but has been a staple in Binghamton of the American Hockey League this season, posting five goals and 12 assists in 36 games for the Devils' minor-league affiliate.
Bertschy had played in one game with Minnesota this season and nine NHL games over three years. Lucia is in his second pro season, all of which has been spent in Iowa.
Here are the projected lineups:
COYOTES
Brendan Perlini - Derek Stepan - Clayton Keller
Zac Rinaldo - Max Domi - Christian Fischer
Richard Panik - Christian Dvorak - Josh Archibald
Jordan Martinook - Brad Richardson - Nick Cousins
Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Alex Goligoski
Jakob Chychrun - Niklas Hjalmarsson
Kevin Connauton - Luke Schenn
Antti Raanta
Scott Wedgewood
WILD
Nino Niederreiter - Eric Staal - Tyler Ennis
Jason Zucker - Mikko Koivu - Mikael Granlund
Zach Parise - Matt Cullen - Charlie Coyle
Marcus Foligno - Joel Eriksson Ek - Daniel Winnik
Ryan Suter - Jared Spurgeon
Gustav Olofsson - Matt Dumba
Mike Reilly - Nate Prosser
Devan Dubnyk
Alex Stalock
Related:
- Wild Warmup: Minnesota vs. Arizona
- Watch: Coyle, Dumba talk Hockey is for Everyone
- Young defensemen ready to step up in wake of Brodin injury
