Wild Warmup: Minnesota vs. Los Angeles

The essentials

The Wild Warmup is presented by Bryant Heating and Cooling
ST. PAUL -- The Wild will try and avoid its first losing streak of the 2020-21 season on Thursday night when it hosts the Los Angeles Kings at Xcel Energy Center.
Minnesota lost 2-1 on Tuesday night in St. Paul, which marked the first time the Wild had ceded defeat in consecutive games.
But early in the season, Thursday's game marks a critical game in the West Division standings. Minnesota and Los Angeles are each one of four teams that currently sit tied for third with eight points.
That can change quickly in a league where teams are only playing games inside the division, but also why it's critically important to avoid two-game sweeps and lengthy losing streaks.
A regulation loss on Thursday would also erase the Wild's rock solid 4-1-0 start to the season as well, a fact it hopes to avoid.
To do that, the Wild will need a win against a team it is playing for the fourth time in eight games. Each of the three previous games have been one-goal affairs, with Minnesota winning twice in overtime in Los Angeles to start the season, then Tuesday's tight loss.

"We try to change each time we play a team. We can make adjustments throughout the game," said Wild captain Jared Spurgeon. "At the start, you have to see what the other team's doing and go from there. We had a game plan and, I think by the end, it's not always the prettiest with the way you have to come through the neutral zone against them. There's a lot of chipped pucks, a lot of dumped pucks, but that's what you have to do. You can't be turning pucks over or else they're coming back at you."
The Wild held an optional practice at Xcel Energy Center on Wednesday, but it was revealed that goaltender Cam Talbot will not be available for the game. Talbot was injured in the first period of the home opener last Friday against San Jose and left that game at the first intermission.
Kaapo Kahkonen has filled in admirably in his stead, posting a 2-2-0 record to go with a 2.22 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage.
Offensively, Minnesota has been paced by Joel Eriksson Ek, whose four goals through seven games is half of his season total in 62 games last season. Linemate Jordan Greenway also has six points (five assists) as does Kirill Kaprizov (also five assists).
Cal Petersen was outstanding in making 32 saves in the win on Tuesday, and would seem likely to draw the start again. The win was his first in three starts this season, but he's been good, posting a 2.38 goals against and a .919 save percentage.
Kings forward Anze Kopitar was held off the scoresheet on Tuesday, which snapped a four-game point streak. He had multiple points in three of those four games. He has at least two points in four of seven games this season and is tied for the NHL lead with nine assists.