The Minnesota Wild will look to extend their winning streak to four games on Monday night when they visit their Central division rivals, the Dallas Stars.
Minnesota (40-25-5, 85 points) holds the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference after picking up points in five of seven games (4-2-1) on its recent homestand, including a 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.
Mats Zuccarello tallied a goal and an assist, while Marco Rossi, Justin Brazeau and Frederick Gaudreau also scored for the Wild, who won for a third straight time. They enter Monday’s matchup four points behind the Colorado Avalanche for third in the division.
Matt Boldy had a pair of helpers against Buffalo to extend his point streak to three games (two goals, three assists). The Wild forward has a team-leading 23 goals, 37 assists and 60 points in 70 games this season.
Filip Gustavsson made 20 saves in the win and he has allowed just two goals against over the win streak. The Minnesota goaltender is 28-15-4 with a 2.48 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage in 48 starts this season.
“It’s good playing behind this team,” Gustavsson said. “They’re sacrificing with blocks and making the right plays at the right time to keep the defense as good as it is right now. They play really good.”
Fellow netminder Marc-Andre Fleury is 12-8-1 with a .904 save percentage and a 2.72 GAA in 22 appearances.
Defenseman Jonas Brodin returned to the Wild lineup on Saturday after missing nine games with a lower-body injury. He registered an assist in 20:21 of ice time.
Monday is the third of four meetings between the Stars and Wild. Dallas edged Minnesota 2-1 on Nov. 16 and the Wild beat the Stars 3-2 in overtime on Dec. 27.
Dallas wraps up a four-game homestand on Monday, looking to pick up points in a fifth straight contest (2-0-2).
The Stars (44-21-4, 92 points), sitting second in the Central, edged the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in overtime on Saturday night.
Thomas Harley scored twice, including the overtime winner for the Stars, who improved to 6-2-2 over their last 10. The defenseman has three goals and two assists over his last three games.
“He’s been great. I can’t imagine where we’d be without him with Miro (Heiskanen) out of the lineup,” said Stars coach Pete DeBoer. “He’s really grabbed it and taken a step in his own game. He’s taken the responsibility offensively back there with Miro out.
“He’s done it every night with big, hard minutes every night. He’s been exceptional.”
Esa Lindell scored the other Dallas goal, while Jake Oettinger made 22 saves.
In 50 starts this season, Oettinger is 32-15-3 with a .906 save percentage and a 2.54 GAA. Backup Casey DeSmith is 12-6-1 in 21 games, posting a .916 save percentage and a 2.39 GAA.
Matt Duchene paces the Stars with 44 assists and 70 points in 69 games, while Jason Robertson has a team-leading 29 goals.
The Stars and Wild wrap up the season series on April 6 in Minnesota.
–Field Level Media
