WILD GAMEDAY
9 p.m. Saturday at Seattle, Climate Pledge Arena
TV; radio: BSN; 100.3 FM
Stats and analytics: Tap here
Pregame reading: Rookie Marco Rossi is finding success on a new line with the Wild.
Opening bell: Like the Wild, the Kraken are battling for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference. Seattle helped its cause on Thursday by upending Vancouver 5-2; that was the Kraken's third victory in their last four games. Seattle was idle Friday night while the Wild played at Edmonton. G Marc-Andre Fleury is scheduled to start vs. the Kraken.
Watch him: Kraken LW Jared McCann is on a six-game point streak after a four-point effort vs. the Canucks. McCann tallied a goal and three assists, which lifted him to a team-leading 45 points. Over his last 15 games, McCann has racked up 11 goals and 10 assists.
Injuries: Wild D Zach Bogosian (upper body), LW Marcus Foligno (lower body), RW Pat Maroon (back) and D Jared Spurgeon (hip/back).
Forecast: The Wild blanked the Kraken 3-0 in their last trip to Seattle on Dec. 10, and the timing couldn't be better for an encore performance. These two teams are neck-and-neck in the wild-card race. The Kraken will have the edge in rest, but the Wild have fared well in this matchup. Not only are they on a 5-1 run against Seattle, but Fleury is 4-1-1 with a 1.97 goals-against average and .935 save percentage in six career starts vs. the Kraken. That history, combined with the urgency the Wild should have considering their circumstances, could easily be a recipe for success.
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