Wild Vs. Oilers Preview: Minnesota Looking For Sixth Straight

On Friday, the Minnesota Wild will take on the Edmonton Oilers, looking for their sixth straight win. Outside of the Boston Bruins (winners of ten straight), the Wild are the hottest team in the NHL right now. On Wednesday, they beat another team who is running hot in the Nashville Predators, eventually winning 3-2. Their current winning streak also includes the Blues, Avalanche, Blue Jackets and Ducks.

This is the third of six meetings between the two teams this season, with Minnesota winning both of the previous. In both games, Edmonton scored first, but the Wild came back to tie it and eventually win in the shootout 2-1. Minnesota has won the last 17 meetings between these two teams at the Xcel Energy Center - not losing since Jan. 16 of 2007.

Minnesota is, as noted, one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now. The win over the Predators gave them a lot of confidence, but the Oilers do present a stiff challenge. Edmonton has been one of the better teams this season, and are second in the Northwest Division, which most would say was unexpected. That being said, they've cooled off lately, and the Wild should be favored in this matchup.

The game is set for 4:00 p.m. eastern.

Wild Vs. Predators Final Score: Minnesota Beats Nashville 3-2

The Minnesota Wild scored three goals in the third period to secure a 3-2 comeback win against the Nashville Predators at the Xcel Energy Center on Wednesday night.

Dany Heatley, Kyle Brodziak and Clay Clutterbuck scored to extend Minnesota's unbeaten streak to five games. With the win, the Wild stand on top of the Northwest Divison and the Western Conference with 29 points.

Jordin Tootoo opened the night with a goal for the Predators just 5:21 into the game and then neither team scored until Heatley slotted a goal past Pekka Rinne just 1:05 into the third period. Brodziak gave the Wild the lead on a power-play goal and then Clutterbuck provided more heroics with a short-handed effort that was assisted by Mikko Koivu, who also assisted on Heatley's goal

The Wild continue their six-game homestand with visits from the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames and Tampa Bay Lightning within the next week

Wild Vs. Predators: Minnesota Looking For Fifth Straight

The Minnesota Wild are one of the hottest teams in hockey, with a four game winning streak and sitting atop the Northwest Division, above, of all teams, the Edmonton Oilers. With 27 points, the Wild are also tied for the top of the overall standings in not just the conference, but the entire NHL.Minnesota recently closed out a five game road trip with three wins and two losses, and have now started a six game homestand, which they're taken the first two games for. Now, they'll play host to the tough Nashville Predators for the first of four games between the two teams this season.

Nashville took three of four between the two teams last season, it's lone loss coming at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, but the teams are looking drastically different right now. New moving parts in Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi have been playing well for Minnesota, but the intensely strong goalie play of both Josh Harding and Niklas Backstrom have combined for a league-low, allowing 1.95 goals per game. 

While the Wild are looking for a fifth straight win and sole possession of the top of the entire NHL standings, the Predators are looking to recover from one of their biggest losses this season, a 6-2 blowout at home to the aforementioned Oilers. The Predators fell down 3-0 after one period against Edmonton, and never recovered. That game closed out a five game homestand in which the Predators lost three games, and they'll look to have better luck on the road, starting at the Xcel Energy Center. They're starting a five game road trip on Wednesday.

The game is set for 8:00 p.m. eastern on Wednesday.

Wild Schedule: First Place Wild Have Three Home Games

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