Just three points out of a playoff spot at 26-23-6, the Panthers want to keep grinding after their three-game winning streak was snapped with a 5-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.
After falling behind 2-0 less than 10 minutes into the game, Aaron Ekblad and Sam Bennett both scored within a span of 1:05 to make it 2-2 in the second period. Following two more goals from Colorado, Aleksander Barkov scored in the third period to trim Florida's deficit back down to 4-3.
Nearly tying things up when a shot from Brandon Montour hit off the post and slid through the crease, the Panthers' comeback attempt came to an end when Nathan MacKinnon, who posted a pair of goals in the contest, scored an empty-netter to make it 5-3 with 59 seconds left on the clock.
Strong in defeat, Sergei Bobrovsky, who will start against the Wild, made 45 saves.
"We know where we're at," Panthers forward Eric Staal said. "We've got to accumulate points. We aren't going to win every game, but we've got to play a style of game that we can count on and trust every single time we get onto the ice. We're getting to that. Obviously disappointing not picking up the last one there at home, but we get a chance on the road to do some good things here on this trip."
Cracking the scoresheet in 15 of the last 17 games, Matthew Tkachuk leads the Panthers in scoring with 73 points (27 goals, 46 assists), while Barkov, who returned to action against Colorado after missing one game with an injury, is second with 48 points (15 goals, 33 assists).
Recalled from the AHL on Sunday, Grigori Denisenko will slot into Florida's lineup on the fourth line alongside Staal and Givani Smith. In 12 games with the Panthers in 2022-23, the 22-year-old former first-round pick has recorded three assists, 18 hits and seven blocked shots.
"We really liked his last time up," Maurice said. "He faded toward the end of the Pittsburgh game, and that was a tough night for him. Then we had the issues with goaltending and there was a whole bunch of reasons for cap reasons that he needed to go back down and play. I liked what he did. It was a major step up. He controls the puck and he's not afraid to make plays."
In third place in the Central Division at 28-20-4, the Wild snapped out of a three-game losing streak with a 3-2 shootout win over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. Trailing 2-1 in the third period, Ryan Hartman scored at 5:25 to tie things up and eventually get the game to overtime.
Following a scoreless extra frame, Mats Zuccarello and Frederick Gaudreau scored on Vitek Vanecek in the shootout, while Filip Gustavsson stopped both shooters he faced for the Wild. Named the third star of the game, Gustavsson finished regulation and overtime with 27 saves.
"I've been on losing streaks before with previous teams, and the best way to do it was just try not to feel the pressure," Gustavsson told reporters after the win. "Pressure is good in a way when you can deal with it. It makes you perform even better. And I think we showed up today and, again, like we created our own confidence."
Kirill Kaprizov leads the Wild in goals (29), assists (33) and points (62). Zuccarello is second in scoring with 51 points (19 goals, 32 assists). Joel Eriksson Ek is third with 44 points (20 goals, 24 assists), while second-year pro Matt Boldy sits in fourth with 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists).
Marc-Andre Fleury and Gustavsson have both seen ample time between the pipes for the Wild. Fleury has gone 16-12-3 with a .902 save percentage in 33 appearances, while Gustavsson, who has started two of the last three games, owns a 12-8-1 record on top of a .923 save percentage.
Per Wild head coach Dean Evason, Gustavsson will get the nod against Florida.
Facing off for the second and final time this season, 11 different Panthers produced at least one point during a 5-3 win over Minnesota back on Jan. 21 at FLA Live Arena. Stepping up while Florida dealt with injuries between the pipes, Alex Lyon turned aside 29 of 32 shots in the win.
Over their past six meetings, the Panthers own a 5-1-0 record against the Wild.
