6 p.m. vs. Rangers • Xcel Energy Center • FSN, 100.3-FM
Rangers also are off their game
Preview: The Wild plays four of its next five at home starting with the front end of a back-to-back (Sunday's game is at Winnipeg). The Wild is 0-5 in its past five games against the Metro Division.
Players to watch: Wild RW Mikael Granlund's 65 points are tied for eighth-most in a Wild season. The Rangers' Ryan McDonagh is one of five NHL defensemen who have registered at least 20 primary assists and is one of four NHL defensemen who have recorded at least 38 points and at least a plus-19 rating.
Numbers: The Wild has allowed the first goal in nine of the past 11 games; the Rangers are 29-11-1 when scoring first.
Injuries: Wild C Martin Hanzal (strep throat) is questionable; D Christian Folin (upper body) and D Gustav Olofsson (upper body) are out. Rangers D Kevin Klein (back) is questionable. D Dan Girardi (ankle), RW Jesper Fast (shoulder) and G Henrik Lundqvist (hip) are out.
Michael Russo
