Minnesota will try to avoid its first three-game regulation losing streak of the season when the Wild plays the second half of back-to-back games on Friday against the Florida Panthers.
The contest marks the second of a season-long five-game road trip.
The Wild dropped a 4-1 decision to the Tampa Bay Lightning on the front half of the back-to-back at Amalie Arena on Thursday.
For the second straight game, Minnesota struggled to get its offense going, not scoring until there was 3:58 remaining in regulation. The goal, by defenseman Marco Scandella, pulled the Wild to within 3-1. It also came out of the sequence with a power play and a chance to get even closer, but Minnesota was unable to capitalize, and Tampa Bay eventually added an empty-goal.
The Lightning, like the St. Louis Blues had 48 hours earlier, seemed to follow a similar road map; get off to a fast start, grab an early lead then allow very little in quality scoring chances the rest of the way.
To turn the tide, Minnesota will try and come out with its best effort right out of the gate against the Panthers, who having their own struggles as they cling to postseason contention in the Eastern Conference.
"We know we are a good team. We're on the road here ... we just gotta come out, and whether it be an ugly win, if that's what it's going to take, that's what it's going to take," said Wild forward Chris Stewart.
Minnesota has allowed the first goal in five of its past six games. The one game in which it did score first, last Sunday against the San Jose Sharks, was its best game during that stretch and one of its most complete efforts of the season.
"It's good to know we can come back, but I think we're a better hockey team when we're playing on our toes and playing with a lead," Stewart said. "We're a really tight checking team, good defensively and we have great goaltending, so if we go after that first one, I think it's beneficial for us."
The Wild will get defenseman Matt Dumba back in the lineup tonight after he missed the previous two games because of illness. Bruce Boudreau said he doesn't expect any other changes to the group.
Darcy Kuemper will start in goal against Florida's James Reimer.
Here are the projected lineups:
WILD
Chris Stewart - Eric Staal - Zach Parise
Mikael Granlund - Mikko Koivu - Jason Zucker
Nino Niederreiter - Martin Hanzal - Ryan White
Charlie Coyle - Erik Haula - Jason Pominville
Ryan Suter - Jared Spurgeon
Jonas Brodin - Matt Dumba
Marco Scandella - Nate Prosser
Darcy Kuemper
Devan Dubnyk
PANTHERS
Reilly Smith - Aleksander Barkov - Jaromir Jagr
Jonathan Huberdeau - Vincent Trocheck - Colton Sceviour
Thomas Vanek - Nick Bjugstad - Jonathan Marchessault
Jussi Jokinen - Derek MacKenzie - Denis Malgin
Keith Yandle - Aaron Ekblad
Mark Pysyk - Alex Petrovic
Michael Matheson - Jason Demers
James Reimer
Reto Berra
