Wild try to get back on track in home test vs. Oilers
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(SportsNetwork.com) - The Minnesota Wild try to avoid a third straight loss and continue their recent domination of the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night when the clubs square off at Xcel Energy Center.
The Wild had a six-game home winning streak snapped on Sunday with a 3-2 shootout setback to the St. Louis Blues. The setback came in the opener of a four-game residency and was Minnesota's second straight overall.
Goals from Jason Pominville and Matt Moulson, his first with the Wild, evened the score, but Ilya Bryzgalov yielded a pair of markers in the shootout while Zach Parise and Mikko Koivu came up empty on their attempts.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It would've been nice to get the two points, but I'm pretty pleased with the game our team played," Wild head coach Mike Yeo said.
Bryzgalov was making his Minnesota debut after getting acquired from the Oilers last Tuesday. Rookie Darcy Kuemper had started 16 straight games in net for the Wild, who own the first of two wild card spots in the Western Conference.
The Wild have won the first two of three meetings this season with the Oilers by a total margin of 7-1. They have won 15 of the last 18 encounters overall and 20 of the previous 22 in Minnesota.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Oilers will try to reverse that trend in the opener of a four-game road trip. Edmonton wrapped up a 2-2-1 homestand on Sunday, having a two-game win streak stopped with a 4-2 setback to the Los Angeles Kings.
Ben Scrivens was tested with 50 shots against his former club, stopping 46 of them. It was the second time Edmonton allowed at least 50 shots in a game this season, with Scrivens posting a 59-save shutout versus San Jose back on Jan. 29.
Scrivens, acquired from the Kings in January, was beaten for a goal 96 seconds into the game. Edmonton allowed the first goal in each game of the homestand.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"A heartbreaker," said Edmonton coach Dallas Eakins. "That gets you down right away to a team I consider one of the best in the league."
Taylor Hall lit the lamp for the Oilers and Sam Gagner netted his first goal in 16 games. Both skaters also had an assist.
Wild forward Matt Cooke is expected to play in his 1,000th NHL game on Tuesday and Minnesota is set to honor him prior to the contest.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The 35-year-old Cooke is in line to become the 286th player in league history to reach the mark and third this season, joining Robyn Regehr and Martin St. Louis.
In his 15-year career that includes stints with Vancouver, Washington, Pittsburgh and Minnesota, Cooke has totaled 162 goals, 222 assists, 384 points, 2,013 hits and 1,120 penalty minutes.