Vancouver (11-6-2) at Minnesota (11-4-1), 8:00 p.m. EST
ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Ticker) -- The Minnesota Wild go for their
fourth straight win on Thursday when they open up a five-game
homestand against the Vancouver Canucks.
Minnesota has won each of its past two games in a shootout,
improving to 3-0 in the bonus format.
Marek Zidlicky scored the lone goal in the shootout and Niklas
Backstrom saved all three attempts as the Wild defeated the
Pittsburgh Penguins, 2-1, on Tuesday.
Backstrom has allowed two goals or less in 11 of his 15 games,
including five straight. Opponents have tallied just three
times against the Finnish netminder during Minnesota's winning
streak.
The Canucks are coming off a 6-3 victory over the New York
Rangers on Wednesday.
Alex Burrows scored twice and defenseman Mattias Ohlund notched
three assists in the win for Vancouver, which is 5-0-2 in its
last seven contests.
The Wild went 5-2-1 against the Canucks last season. Vancouver
won the first meeting, 2-0, on November 8 as goaltender Roberto
Luongo made 29 saves to record his third straight shutout.