Wild @ Rangers

Who will WIN this matchup?

Minnesota Wild (33-20-7)

@ New York Rangers (27-29-5)

Starting Goalies:

Devan Dubnyk (MIN): Confirmed

Henrik Lundqvist (NYR): Unconfirmed

Current odds:

Minnesota Wild: (-160)

New York Rangers: (+140)

• The Minnesota Wild attempt to complete a perfect three-game road trip and earn at least one point for the eighth time in nine contests when they visit the fading New York Rangers on Friday. The Wild opened the trek with a 5-3 win against the New York Islanders before rallying from an early two-goal deficit to knock off New Jersey 4-2 on Thursday as Eric Staal recorded his 900th career point. Staal, who leads the team with 54 points, has registered eight goals and nine assists in his last 15 games after netting a late tally in Thursday’s win as Minnesota improved to 5-1-2 in its last eight contests and occupies a playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Wild posted a 3-2 home win last week and exploded for seven goals in a road victory last season against the Rangers, who have dropped five straight and nine of their last 11 after suffering a 3-1 setback at Montreal on Thursday.

• The Rangers, who are six points out of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, made Michael Grabner a healthy scratch against the Canadiens and announced they traded their leading goal scorer to New Jersey after the game. With both backups in net on Thursday, Minnesota’s Devan Dubnyk likely will oppose Henrik Lundqvist in the second game of the teams’ back-to-back sets.

• Mikael Granlund reached 30 assists for the fifth straight season Thursday and is second on the team with 45 points – two more than Jason Zucker, who has scored a career-high 25 goals. Defenseman Matt Dumba also notched an assist in the win at New Jersey to match the career high of 34 points he set last season and is one away from tying his personal best of 11 goals (2016-17). Dubnyk beat the Islanders to open the trip and owns a 5-1-2 record with a .925 save percentage this month.

• Kevin Hayes has scored in back-to-back games and accumulated four goals and four assists over his last seven contests. Rick Nash, who has recorded 28 points this season and is one shy of 800 for his career, also was a healthy scratch against Montreal as trade talk involving the former Maurice Richard Trophy winner has been intensifying, and coach Alain Vigneault told reporters he would sit again versus Minnesota. Lundqvist (23-21-4, .915 save percentage) was rested Thursday after surrendering 12 goals over his last two starts.

• Rangers D Rob O’Gara, who was acquired from Boston on Tuesday, recorded one shot and blocked three in his debut on Thursday.

• Minnesota D Ryan Suter needs two points to reach 40 for the third straight season and sixth time overall.

• Rangers RW Mats Zuccarello has registered three of his team-leading 43 points in the last three contests.