03/21/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With nothing but divisional games left on the schedule, the Wild are in the driver's seat in the Northwest standings. Minnesota continues its quest for a divisional crown tonight, as they visit the Vancouver Canucks at GM Place.
The Wild are attempting to win the Northwest Division title for the first time in its eight seasons as an NHL franchise. Minnesota's previous best finish in the standings was second place, achieved last year on 104 points.
Minnesota currently leads the division with 87 points, but is just a point up on both Vancouver and Calgary in the standings. The Wild have eight games left this season, as do the Canucks and Flames.
Calgary is off tonight, meaning a regulation win by Vancouver tonight would give it sole possession of first place in the Northwest. On the other hand, Minnesota can pad its lead to three points with a regulation victory.
The Wild picked up a point last time out, falling to San Jose 4-3 in a shootout on Wednesday. However, it was Minnesota's sixth loss in its last eight games (2-2-4).
Marian Gaborik scored twice in regulation for Minnesota, Stephane Veilleux also tallied and Niklas Backstrom allowed three goals on 33 shots in defeat. Brian Rolston added two assists while Mikko Koivu extended his streak of consecutive games with an assist to five, totaling six helpers in that span.
The Wild will also be trying to shake off a frightening injury to one of their own tonight. Defenseman Kurtis Foster left Wednesday's test on a stretcher with a leg injury in the second period and is lost for the rest of the regular season and the postseason.
Foster was chasing after the puck toward the endboards with San Jose's Torrey Mitchell, got tangled up, dipped below the glass, and hit the boards with full-force.
Medical personnel came out and stabilized Foster, putting his right leg in a splint, and moved him to the hospital. He underwent surgery for a broken left leg, as doctors placed a rod to repair a fractured left femur.
Foster, 26, had seven goals and 11 assists in 56 games played this season.
The Wild have lost three in a row on the road and are 18-15-4 as the visiting club this season. Wednesday's loss came in the opener of a four-game road trip that next features a stop in Calgary.
Vancouver moved to within a point of the Wild with a big 4-1 victory over Edmonton on Thursday night. Roberto Luongo made 33 saves to record his 34th win of the season.
Trevor Linden, Daniel Sedin, Matt Pettinger and Taylor Pyatt all scored for the Canucks, who have won three straight to keep the pressure on Minnesota. Vancouver has also not lost in regulation to Edmonton since December 4, 2006, going 9-0-3 over that span.
In addition to being a point away from the division lead, the Canucks and Flames are tied for sixth place overall in the Western Conference.
Vancouver remains tied with Calgary -- which edged Colorado, 2-1, on Thursday -- for the sixth seed in the Western Conference. Both clubs have 86 points and trail idle Minnesota by one point for first place in the tightly contested Northwest Division. The clubs are also just two points ahead of the Avalanche.
The Canucks are 20-11-5 at home this season and have won five of their last seven as the host. Vancouver plays its next three on the road, with the trek featuring huge stops in Calgary, Colorado and Minnesota.
The Wild and the Canucks have split six meetings so far this year, with Minnesota winning two of three in Minnesota.
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