wild gameday

7 P.M. at Chicago • United Center • NBCSN, 100.3-FM

Preview: The Wild, which opens a three-game road trip, is 3-6-1 in its past 10 regular-season visits to Chicago and 0-6 in the past two playoffs at Chicago. The Blackhawks are coming off a 5-2 loss at Edmonton 24 hours after beating the Wild — a similar "trap game" to the Wild's blowout loss in Dallas last weekend after playing Toronto the night before. The Wild is 7-10-5 in its past 22 and 2-6-4 in its past 12.

Players to watch: In the past three regular seasons and playoffs, Bryan Bickell leads the Blackhawks with 13 goals against the Wild (31 goals in 171 games vs. the rest of the NHL). In the past three years against the Wild, Patrick Kane has nine goals and Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa eight each. Wild RW Jason Pominville has 23 points in the past 24 games. C Charlie Coyle has four points in his past five games. D Jared Spurgeon has 13 points in 33 games; two points in 14 road games.

Numbers: The Blackhawks rank sixth in the NHL at 2.98 goals per game, register a league-high 35.1 shots per game and allow a league-low 2.21 goals per game. … The Wild is 2-1-2 in the second of back-to-backs this year.

Injuries: Wild G Darcy Kuemper (lower body), D Marco Scandella (upper body), C Mikael Granlund (wrist surgery) and D Keith Ballard (facial fractures, concussion) are out. Blackhawks LW Kris Versteeg (hand) is questionable.

MICHAEL RUSSO