Wild-Pittsburgh preview

First Pittsburgh, then break

Preview: The Wild (26-17-5) has one more game, at Pittsburgh (26-21-3), before sending center Eric Staal to Florida for the NHL All-Star Game. The Wild is on a season-best six-game point streak and has won three in a row against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions. This also will be center Matt Cullen's first game back at PPG Paints Arena since he moved to the Wild this summer after two seasons in Pittsburgh.

Players to watch: Penguins winger Phil Kessel (21 goals, 34 assists), center Sidney Crosby (17 goals, 35 assists) and center Evgeni Malkin (21 goals, 18 assists) all rank in the top 20 for points in the league. Winger Jake Guentzel has 15 goals and 10 assists. Wild winger Jason Zucker is on a four-game goal streak and five-game point streak.

Numbers: Pittsburgh has the top power play in the NHL, at 26.3 percent. The Wild ranks 14th at 19.9 percent. The teams have similar penalty kills, as the Wild ranks seventh at 83.2 percent while Pittsburgh is eighth at 82.9 percent.

Injuries: Wild F Nino Niederreiter (lower body) is out. Pittsburgh F Carter Rowney (upper body) and D Chad Ruhwedel (upper body) are out. G Matt Murray is questionable while dealing with the death of his father.

Megan Ryan