Minnesota faces Boston on 5-game skid

Minnesota Wild (19-10-2, fourth in the Central) vs. Boston Bruins (17-10-2, fourth in the Atlantic)

Boston; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Minnesota aims to end its five-game slide with a victory over Boston.

The Bruins are 9-5-1 at home. Boston ranks eighth in the Eastern Conference with 35.9 shots per game and is averaging 2.9 goals.

The Wild are 9-7-1 on the road. Minnesota ranks third in the NHL averaging 3.6 goals per game, led by Ryan Hartman with 15.

The matchup Thursday is the first meeting this season between the two teams.

TOP PERFORMERS: Brad Marchand leads the Bruins with 19 assists and has 30 points this season. Patrice Bergeron has 6 points over the last 10 games for Boston.

Hartman leads the Wild with 15 goals and has 28 points. Kirill Kaprizov has 16 points over the last 10 games for Minnesota.

LAST 10 GAMES: Bruins: 6-2-2, averaging 2.8 goals, 4.5 assists, 3.8 penalties and 8.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.1 goals per game with a .932 save percentage.

Wild: 5-4-1, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.7 assists, 4.2 penalties and nine penalty minutes while allowing 3.1 goals per game with a .911 save percentage.

INJURIES: Bruins: Karson Kuhlman: out (covid-19), Jake DeBrusk: out (health and safety protocols), Anton Blidh: out (covid-19).

Wild: Jordan Greenway: out (health protocols), Cam Talbot: day to day (lower body), Joel Eriksson Ek: out (upper body).

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