Wild-Rangers game preview: broadcast info, odds and analysis

vs. New York Rangers at Xcel Energy Center: 7 p.m. Saturday

TV; radio: BSN Extra; 100.3 FM

Stats, odd and analytics: Tap here

Pregame reading: What's wrong with the Wild? Almost everything. Michael Rand takes a look.

For the fans: The Wild are hosting an outdoor practice Sunday at the Recreation Outdoor Center in St. Louis Park that's free and open to the public. This session is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. and last approximately 45 minutes.

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Opening bell: The Wild and Rangers are complete opposites. While the Wild (3-5-2) are sputtering, New York is surging, its six-game win streak the longest in the NHL right now. Overall, the Rangers are 8-2 and went undefeated on their last road trip (5-0). They're also extremely stingy, giving up one goal or less in six of their games.

Watch him: Rangers LW Artemi Panarin is on a 10-game point streak with five goals and 11 assists and why not? The puck is the offensive zone 50.6% of the time Panarin is on the ice, the fourth-best clip in the NHL.

Injuries: Wild RW Frederick Gaudreau (upper body), D Alex Goligoski (lower body) and D Jared Spurgeon (upper body); Rangers C Filip Chytil (upper body), D Adam Fox (lower body) and G Igor Shesterkin (undisclosed).

Forecast: Considering the circumstances, this is the Wild's most daunting test to date. Against a well-oiled machine like the Rangers that's clicking all over the ice, the Wild's attention to detail will have to be precise. Some puck luck wouldn't hurt, either, which has been missing during their four-game slide. But if they have another slow start and more struggles on special teams, they'll have a tough time ending their losing streak.

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