Wild visit winless-streak Canucks with Pickard in net

Minnesota arrives at Rogers Arena at 7-3-2 with 16 points, third in the Western Conference. The Wild are 3-2 in their last five (WLLWW) but 3-3-2 on the road. Vancouver sits 16th in the West at 2-9-1 with 5 points. The Canucks have lost five straight and are 1-4-0 at home.

The goaltending is the wrinkle. Calvin Pickard starts for Minnesota with a 5.00 GAA and an .800 save percentage in one game. Leevi Merilainen gets the nod for Vancouver at 2.95 and .917 over seven games.

Chirp's Sim, run 10,000 times, likes the Wild at 53%, with the Canucks at 47%. The most likely final is Wild 4, Canucks 3. The lean comes from form: Minnesota is 3-2 over its last five, Vancouver 0-5.