Plenty of win streaks will be on the line Tuesday when the Wild wraps up a three-game series against the Coyotes at Xcel Energy Center.
Goalie Kaapo Kahkonen will be going for a ninth straight victory, the Wild has a chance to sweep its five-game homestand and if that happens, the team will have won eight in a row at home – tying the franchise record.
"We definitely have to be as desperate or more desperate than Arizona tonight," coach Dean Evason said. "It's two games that they haven't had success and we have. They are going to be hungry, desperate and energized to play here tonight. And if we are not ready, then we are going to be hurt by that.
"Our message today is whatever they're going to bring tonight, it has to be matched by our group."
Other than subbing Kahkonen in for Cam Talbot, who was in net for the previous two wins over the Coyotes, the Wild will roll out the same lineup that the team used Sunday when it pulled away 4-1.
Injured forward Marcus Johansson skated Tuesday morning but remains sidelined. He's missed 13 games with an upper-body injury, and it's unclear if he'll travel with the team for its upcoming road trip.
After this series finale against Arizona, the Wild will go to Colorado to play two games against the Avalanche.
"You think it's not going to be too, too bad," Evason said of Johansson's injury. "But things linger. Obviously, it takes some time to heal, clearly, and everybody's different."
