9:30 p.m. at San Jose • SAP Center • FSN, 100.3-FM
Playoff quest hitting the road for next 3 games
Preview: The Wild, which trails Winnipeg and Arizona by one point for the final Western Conference playoff spot but has two games in hand on both teams, will try to keep its playoff push going in the opener of a three-game California trip. Games at Los Angeles (Saturday) and Anaheim (Sunday) follow. San Jose has Minnesota's number this season, winning 6-5 on Nov. 7 in San Jose and 2-0 on Feb. 15 in St. Paul. The Wild has won four of its past five and is 6-3 since Dean Evason took over as interim coach. San Jose beat Toronto 5-2 on Tuesday, extending its win streak to three games.
Players to watch: Is there anybody playing better than the Wild's Kevin Fiala right now? The reigning NHL First Star of the Week scored a jaw-dropping goal and added an assist in a 3-1 win over Nashville on Tuesday, giving him a team-record five consecutive multipoint games. Fiala is helping linemate Zach Parise heat up, too, as Parise has three goals and three assists in his past four games. … C Logan Couture, back from a broken ankle, leads the Sharks with 22 points in 30 career games vs. the Wild. Sharks G Martin Jones is 2-0 with a 2.50 goals-against average against the Wild this season.
Numbers: Wild G Alex Stalock is 10-3-1 with a 2.00 GAA and .926 save percentage in his past 14 starts. Parise has 17 points in his past 21 games. … Sharks F Evander Kane scored two goals against Toronto, extending his point streak to three games (3-3-6).
Injuries: Wild D Carson Soucy (upper body) is out. … Sharks D Erik Karlsson (thumb) and C Tomas Hertl (knee) are out for the season. D Jacob Middleton (lower leg) and D Dalton Prout (concussion) are out.
Randy Johnson
