Preview: Blackhawks at Wild

[November 04, 2017]  While the Chicago Blackhawks have embraced a favorable result in recent playoff meetings with the Minnesota Wild, the latter has enjoyed the better of play during the regular season of late - earning at least a point in 10 of the last 12 encounters (9-2-1). The Wild look to win their second tilt versus the Blackhawks this season on Saturday when the Central Division rivals meet at the Xcel Energy Center in Minnesota.

Captain Mikko Koivu, who notched a pair of assists in Minnesota's 6-3 victory over Montreal on Thursday, scored in the Wild's 5-2 win at Chicago on Oct. 12. The 34-year-old Finn has been a thorn in the side of the Blackhawks with a club-best 34 points (six goals, 28 assists) in 48 career matches while defenseman Ryan Suter's 33 points (five goals, 28 assists) against Chicago account for his highest point total against any team. Corey Crawford permitted three goals in the first encounter with the Wild but turned in his best performance of the young season with a 35-save shutout in a 3-0 win over Philadelphia on Wednesday. Captain Jonathan Toews, who scored a goal versus the Flyers, owns 38 points (14 goals, 24 assists) in 37 career games against Minnesota.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), FSN North (Minnesota)

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (6-5-2): Artem Anisimov has gotten acclimated to his new responsibilities away from superstar Patrick Kane's line, and the results are starting to show. The 29-year-old Russian answered a two-point performance over his first 10 games of the season with goals in three straight while adding an assist. "Way, way better," coach Joel Quenneville told the Chicago Sun-Times. "He's been way more effective, having the puck more, carrying the puck more, (and) he has more pace to his game. ... His game and the pace has really picked up. It's such a big improvement in our team game when you add his presence in the middle of the ice."

ABOUT THE WILD (5-4-2): Defenseman Matt Dumba rebounded from a sluggish game versus Winnipeg on Tuesday with a strong outing against the Canadiens, notching two assists and earning the praise from head coach Bruce Boudreau. "I thought that was his best game of the year. ... He played a simple game. And when he plays a simple game, his skills come through," Boudreau told reporters of the 23-year-old Dumba. Devan Dubnyk made 28 saves versus Montreal to improve to 3-1-1 at home this season and turned aside 36 shots in the first encounter against Chicago to improve his career mark to 11-7-0 versus the Central Division rival.

OVERTIME

1. Chicago LW Ryan Hartman scored and set up a goal in the first meeting with Minnesota to increase his point total to eight (two goals, six assists) in his first five games, only to be limited to just two points in his last eight contests.

2. Wild RW Chris Stewart scored twice in the first meeting with the Blackhawks to highlight his six-game point streak, but has been held without a point in each of his last five contests.

3. Blackhawks D Gustav Forsling (upper body) has been ruled out versus Minnesota despite returning to practice on Friday.

PREDICTION: Wild 4, Blackhawks 2

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