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A pair of ninth-place teams trying to end three-game skids face off Thursday as Minnesota heads to Toronto.
The Wild enter the game trailing Colorado by just one point in the West, and this despite having played two fewer games than the Avalanche. The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, sit three points back of Florida in the East.
Minnesota has been in a free-fall of late, dropping 14 of 16 dating back to December 13. Over its last seven games, Minnesota has been outscored 28 to 12, including 13 to 3 while dropping three in a row.
The Leafs bring a three-game losing streak of their own into this one. After reeling off four straight Ws, Toronto has gone cold, scoring just four goals during the skid.
The Leafs’ two most dangerous players, Joffrey Lupul and Phil Kessel, have been quiet after a hot start to 2012. They combined for 11 points over the first three games of the month but have since combined for just one goal and one assist.