(SportsNetwork.com) – The Minnesota Wild aim to extend their point streak to a
franchise-record 11 straight games on Monday night when they visit the
Vancouver Canucks.
The Wild play the first of three in a row in Western Canada tonight after
beating the Carolina Hurricanes 6-3 on Saturday. Thomas Vanek scored twice in
the first period and added an assist, while Devan Dubnyk made 24 saves to win
for the 10th time in 13 games since being acquired from the club.
Jordan Schroeder, Nate Prosser, Erik Haula and Zach Parise all scored as well
for Minnesota, which is 8-0-2 over its past 10 games. That matches a 9-0-1 run
from March 8-27, 2007 as the longest point streak in club history.
“Overall I thought the first 20 (minutes were) good, then got a little
sloppy,” Vanek said.
Despite some lapses versus the Hurricanes, the Wild can’t be very unpleased
with their run, one that has pulled them within two points of a wild card spot
in the Western Conference.
The Wild are just one of the teams that are tightening things up in the
playoff picture for the Canucks, who are tied for third place in the Pacific
Division with the Calgary Flames. Vancouver does own the current tiebreaker
with one fewer game played, putting Calgary into a wild card spot.
The Canucks had won three of four before losing 3-2 to those same Flames on
Saturday. Linden Vey and Ronalds Kenins each scored for the Canucks, while
Ryan Miller allowed all three goals on 34 shots.
“I thought we worked hard tonight. I thought the guys played hard. They pushed
for the last ten minutes, you can’t ask for much more,” Vancouver coach Willie
Desjardins said.
Desjardins, though, lost valuable forward Alexander Edler to an upper-body
injury in the second period and his status going forward is unknown.
Tonight marks the last of three regular-season meetings between these clubs,
with the Wild having won the first two. They have taken six of the past seven
encounters overall, including three straight in Vancouver.
Dubnyk will start for the Wild tonight and is 8-6-3 lifetime versus the
Canucks with a 2.51 goals against average, .924 save percentage and three
shutouts.
Miller is 4-5-0 with a 30.3 GAA and .886 save percentage lifetime versus the
Wild, while backup Eddie Lack is 1-0-1 against them with a 1.15 GAA and .956
save percentage in three meetings (2 starts).
