Wild Warmup: Minnesota vs. Los Angeles

The essentials

The opponent

The Los Angeles Kings have cycled between wins and losses all month, posting a 4-3-1 record during March. During that stretch, the Kings have not won or lost consecutive games.
Los Angeles begins the day in the second wild card spot in the Western Conference playoff race, two points behind top wild card Colorado and the Anaheim Ducks, who stand third in the Pacific Division. L.A. and the Dallas Stars have the same number of points, but the Kings have played one fewer game and have three additional wins in regulation/overtime.
The Kings won the only meeting of the season so far between the clubs, scoring a 5-2 victory at Staples Center on Dec. 5. Los Angeles scored four third-period goals to overcome a 2-1 deficit in the final frame. Anze Kopitar had one goal and two assists to lead the Kings, who also got three assists from defenseman Drew Doughty and a goal and an assist from Jake Muzzin. Tyler Ennis and Charlie Coyle had goals for Minnesota.
Kopitar is in the midst of an MVP-caliber season, leading the Kings with 29 goals, 51 assists and 80 points. Doughty has 42 assists and 51 points while Tyler Toffoli (23) and Dustin Brown (21) have also eclipsed the 20-goal mark.
Goaltender Jonathan Quick has been outstanding of late and is 28-26-2 this season with a 2.42 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage.

Connections

• Kings forward Jonny Brodzinki is a Ham Lake native and played college hockey at St. Cloud State University.
• Kings defenseman Christian Folin skated in 118 games with Minnesota, collecting 23 points (4-19=23) and 50 penalty minutes in four seasons (2013-17).
• Kings defenseman Derek Forbort hails from Duluth and played collegiately at the University of North Dakota.
• Kings forward Torrey Mitchell played parts of two seasons with the Wild, tallying 17 points (5-12=17) in 103 games (2012-14).

Playoff push

The Wild enters the day Monday three points clear of the Colorado Avalanche for third place in the Central Division standings and five points ahead of the Dallas Stars, the first team outside the playoff bubble in the West.
Minnesota is seven points back of the Winnipeg Jets for the second spot in the Central.

Southern comfort

Minnesota is 13-7-4 in its past 24 games against the Kings with 10 of those games decided in extra sessions.
Related:
- Baby boom keeping Wild players busy away from the rink - Fourth line comes up big in Minnesota's win in Arizona