Detroit Red Wings GameDay: @ Minnesota

Tonight is the second of four games between these two teams this season. The Wings won the first meeting, 5-0 on December 7th, on Dominik Hasek’s shutout and Henrik Zetterberg’s hat trick. The remaining two games will be played January 10th and February 5th.

The puck drops at 8:00 ET tonight. 

The 20-12-2 Wild are 5-1-0 since losing to the Wings, with their only loss during that stretch coming in San Jose. Since that loss to the Sharks, they have won four straight, including games against Anaheim, LA, Nashville, and New York (Rangers).

The win over New York on Thursday was remarkable, in that Marian Gaborik became the first player in nearly 11 years to score five goals in a game.

Tonight is the last of a three-game homestand for the Wild.

Gaborik leads the Wild in goals and overall points with 18 and 33. He and Brian Rolston are the only Minnesota players who have scored 10 or more goals this season.

It looks like Minnesota will be without Todd Fedoruk (shoulder), Petteri Nummelin (head), Derek Boogaard (back), and Mikko Koivu (fibula).

Josh Harding has started the last four games for the Wild, but may sit tonight in favor of Niklas Backstrom.

For the Wild perspective, see The State of Hockey News, Wild Puck Banter, Casual Hockey, Puck Wild, In the State of Hockey, and Land of Lakes and Hockey. Theresa Ferries of The State of Hockey News has her preview posted already.

The Wings are 5-1-1 since their win over the Wild earlier this month. They are coming off their first regulation loss since Thanksgiving, a 3-2 decision in St. Louis on Thursday. The game came the night after a 6-2 win over LA and was the first of a five-game road trip.

Valtteri Filppula has scored five goals in his last seven, including two on penalty shots, and Henrik Zetterberg has scored seven in his last nine. Mikael Samuelsson, who had been the coldest of the Wings’ offensive forwards, broke a 13-game goalless streak with one Thursday night.

The Wings will be without Kirk Maltby (back)