Anaheim @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 5, 2019 ) Minnesota 4, Anaheim 2

The Minnesota Wild have managed to regain their equilibrium after an ugly start to the season, overcoming a brutal schedule in which they played 20 of their first 30 games on the road. The Wild will kick off their longest homestand of the season thus far when they play the first of three against the struggling Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night.

Minnesota had won five in a row and had points in 11 straight before both streaks ended with a thud in Saturday's 6-2 drubbing at Carolina. "We did that 11-game thing to get even, not to advance," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "Now we push forward, and you've got to win two out of three if you want to succeed." Anaheim has not posted back-to-back wins in 5 1/2 weeks and has lost 12 of 15 (3-8-4) after absorbing consecutive 3-2 defeats to Washington and Winnipeg. The Ducks blew a two-goal lead in a 4-2 home loss to the Wild on Nov. 5 but have won four straight in Minnesota.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket, FS North, FS Wisconsin (Minnesota)

ABOUT THE DUCKS (12-14-4): Anaheim ranks in the bottom third of the league on the penalty kill (76.8 percent) but is even worse on the power play, converting on 10.5 percent of its chances (8-for-76) after going 1-for-16 over the last seven contests. "A lot of times it happens to be the difference," forward Devin Shore said. "You have to find that balance of holding ourselves accountable and bearing down and at the same time not get frustrated.” Jakob Silfverberg has a team-best 11 goals after scoring in two of the past three games.

ABOUT THE WILD (14-12-4): Zach Parise and Kevin Fiala, who both scored goals in the win at Anaheim last month, had a new addition to their line at Monday's practice with Ryan Donato taking the place of injured captain Mikko Koivu. Donato, primarily a winger in the NHL, had been skating on the fourth line before the surprising promotion. "Zach and Kevin are two great players," Donato said. "For me, I come in with the same mentality as before, playing a good 200-foot game and knowing if I do that, everything else will come."

OVERTIME

1. Fiala has points in six of his last eight overall and three goals and five points in six meetings versus Anaheim.

2. Ducks F Nick Ritchie will be sidelined for six to 10 weeks with an MCL sprain sustained Friday versus Washington.

3. Wild G Devan Dubnyk was back at practice Monday but will be away from the team the next two days.

PREDICTION: Wild 3, Ducks 2