Wild-Islanders game preview: Defensive problems lead to losses

vs. New York Islanders, Xcel Energy Center, 5 p.m. Monday

TV; radio: BSN; 100.3 FM

Stats and analytics: Tap here.

Pregame reading: Wild players air out issues, plot way forward during growing losing streak

For the fans: The Wild and Cub Foods are holding a pet supply drive, and collection boxes will be set up at every gate at Xcel Energy Center. All donations will go to Coco's Heart Dog Rescue.

Opening bell: One of the Wild's rare early-season wins came against the Islanders, but much has changed since that 4-2 victory on Nov. 7. The Wild (17-20-5) are having as much trouble scoring as they are keeping the puck out of their own net. Although the Islanders (19-13-10) are coming off a 3-1 loss to the Predators on Saturday, they're in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Watch him: Islanders D Noah Dobson has been a lightning rod for offense lately. Dobson has factored in the Islanders' past five goals and boasts seven assists in his past five games. His 43 points rank third among NHL defensemen. Dobson also scored vs. the Wild earlier this season.

Injuries: Wild D Jonas Brodin (upper body), RW Vinni Lettieri (lower body) and D Jared Spurgeon (lower body). Islanders D Robert Bortuzzo (lower body), C Casey Cizikas (lower body), D Ryan Pulock (lower body) and G Semyon Varlamov (lower body).

Forecast: The Wild are desperate for a win, but the Islanders are competitive. Among their recent victories is a 5-1 romp against the Coyotes, who overwhelmed the Wild 6-0 on Saturday. For the Wild to turn the page on their slump, they need to fix the issues in their own end. Defending better and breaking out of their zone cleanly is essential to them establishing their style on offense, which is a fast-paced forecheck that can wear down the opposition.

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