Game Preview: Wild At Canucks: Freak Out!

The Wild have won 6 of their last 7 games against the Canucks. They are a real pain in the ass and the Canucks just can't get their heads screwed on right when they play Minny.

This is a huge game for both teams. Check this out:

Woooaaaaaa FREAK OUT! The Flames play the Bruins tonight. Los Angeles plays Tampa Bay. Crunch time!

Minnesota is 8-0-2 in their last 10 games. FREAK OUT!

Time	7:00 PM PST	TV	Sportsnet Pacific
Season Series	2-0 Wild	Last Meeting	5-3 Wild, Feb.10/15
The Enemy	Hockey Wilderness	Scoring Leaders	D. Sedin: 13-33-46 Parise: 23-19-42

Canucks	CATEGORY	Wild
31-21-3	SEASON RECORD	28-20-7
65	Points	63
7th	Conference Position	9th
Lost 1	Streak	Won 2
5-5-0	Last 10 Games	8-0-2
20	Goals For Last 5 Games	15
14	Goals Against Last 5 Games	9
0.97 (22)	5 on 5	0.99 (20)
17.6 (18)	Power Play %	15.9 (26)
85.3 (5)	Penalty Kill %	85.7 (4)
47.8 (26)	Faceoff Winning %	49.9 (14)
1003 (28)	Hits	900 (29)

TRENDS

• Wild are 5-0 in their last 5 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
• Wild are 5-0 in their last 5 vs. Pacific.
• Wild are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.
• Wild are 5-0 in their last 5 games playing on 1 days rest.
• Wild are 7-2 in their last 9 Monday games.
• Wild are 1-4 in their last 5 after scoring 5 goals or more in their previous game....hell, that's positive!
• Canucks are 8-20 in their last 28 when their opponent scores 5 goals or more in their previous game.
• Canucks are 2-8 in their last 10 Monday games.
• Canucks are 2-8 in their last 10 vs. Western Conference.
• Canucks are 0-4 in their last 4 in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 situation.

Nothing good for the Canucks there. Thanks, Covers.com! Freak OUT!

PROJECTED LINES

MINNY

Parise-Koivu-Pominville

Vanek-Granlund-Schroeder

Niederreiter-Coyle-Fontaine

Veilleux-Haula (if ya hear me!)-Brodziak

Suter-Brodin

Scandella-Spurgeon

Prosser-Dumba

Dubnyk. Because: Dubnyk.

CANUCKS

Sedins-Burrows

Higgins-Vey-Vrbata

Dorsett-Matthias-Kassian

Kenins-Horvat-Hansen

Hamhuis-Sbisa

Stanton-Clendening

????? ?????

Lack ( I presume)

I believe Alex Edler has a shoulder injury. FREAK OUT!

Hopefully Chris Tanev is ready to go after bumping his head on a goal post (?) FREAK OUT!

Does Willie D sit Ronalds Kenins so he can get a look at newest Canuck Brandon McMillan? I would say "no" to that.

All these things will be answered by the time I wake up tomorrow afternoon (it is now 4 AM, I work night shift).

SCORE-PREDICTING WIZARDS UPDATE

Why yes, I have updated it. Don't say I never do anything for you.

VIDEO

The title of this preview post has been brought to you by Chic:

That's terrible shit right there.

Know what's good? Keith Ballard skated with the Wild on Sunday. His career could be over after sustaining a concussion and multiple facial fractures from this event. Yikes, man. That's scarey shit. I'm a big Ballard fan, so let's end this preview with some Ballard hipcheck heaven:

COCONUTS!!