Wild vs. Nashville game preview: Broadcast info and analysis

vs. Nashville Predators, Xcel Energy Center, 7 p.m. Thursday

TV; radio: BSN; 100.3 FM

Stats and analytics: Tap here.

Pregame reading: Brock Faber, Calder front-runner? With Connor Bedard’s injury, the Maple Grove native has taken over the race for the NHL rookie award.

Sarah McLellan’s preview:

Opening bell: A few weeks ago when the Wild were mired in another slump, this matchup against Nashville looked like just another game on the schedule. But the Wild (21-21-5) winning three in a row and four out of their last five, combined with the Predators (25-21-1) dropping three of their past four, has changed the stakes. Now only four points separate these Central Division rivals, meaning the Wild can move within two points of Nashville and potentially the second wild-card seed in the Western Conference with a regulation win. Considering the adversity the team has faced lately, from losses to injuries, that’s a tremendous opportunity on deck for the Wild.

Watch him: D Brock Faber is coming off what’s becoming a quintessential performance for the rookie. He skated a team-high 24 minutes, 50 seconds in the 5-3 win over Washington on Tuesday while scoring the game’s opening goal, registering five shot attempts, dishing out two hits and blocking four shots. The Wild also never surrendered a goal to the Capitals while Faber was on the ice. Faber is on a five-game point streak that’s the longest in team history for a rookie defenseman.

Forecast: The Wild dominated the Predators in these teams’ only other meeting, routing Nashville 6-1 on Nov. 30, but the Predators haven’t had as lopsided of a loss since then. Despite their current dip, Nashville has had some quality wins this month, including two against Dallas, and its last victory a week ago was vs. Los Angeles. But this game may be more telling for the Wild: They haven’t been perfect during their three-game win streak, but it does feel like the team is at a crossroads. Can they keep progressing and finally make up some significant ground in the playoff race? Or will they sputter and fall behind again? If their offense continues to click, that bodes well for them continuing this run. This is only the sixth time in franchise history they’ve scored at least five goals in three consecutive games.

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