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Wild-Coyotes Preview

Dec 6, 2009 - 8:57 PM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Minnesota (13-12-3) at Phoenix (17-11-1), 9:00 p.m. EDT

Contributions from an array of players have the Minnesota Wild and Phoenix Coyotes playing some of their best hockey of the season.

One of their winning streaks will come to an end Monday night when the teams meet at Jobing.com Arena.

Minnesota (13-12-3) has won a season-high five in a row as part of a 6-0-1 stretch that followed an 0-2-2 slump.

The Wild's surge continued Saturday as five players scored and five others had at least a point in a 5-3 victory at Nashville.

"We are preaching shooting from all angles," coach Todd Richards said. "We are preaching getting players in front of the net. We are starting to score goals. It was another five-goal performance.

"Hopefully, the guys are starting to see the result of their hard work."

Minnesota's success over the last seven games has been spurred by a balanced attack, with 10 players totaling 25 goals and seven others getting at least a point.

"Five-on-five, we have really improved over the last 10 or 12 games," said left wing Andrew Brunette, who had two of his team-leading 10 goals and eight assists over the last seven games. "I think it is contagious. When you get enough guys doing the right things everybody falls in line.

"We are getting scoring opportunities and goals from each line over the last 10 games. The big thing is we are getting more pucks on net. We are more aggressive on the forecheck. We have done a real good job of cycling the puck."

The Coyotes (17-11-1) have also gotten scoring from up and down the roster during a season high-tying four-game winning streak. Ten players have totaled 13 goals during the run with none scoring more than two, while seven others have registered at least a point.

Phoenix has not won five in a row since Dec. 31, 2007-Jan. 8, 2008.

The Coyotes got closer to equaling that run Saturday by beating Ottawa 3-2. Three Phoenix players scored.

"I think we're just improving as a team," center Danniel Winnik said. "I think we had a rough month in November and it looks like we're bouncing back here in early December."

The Coyotes have also gotten a lift from defenseman Ed Jovanovski, who scored Saturday after missing 10 of the previous 12 games with a lower-body injury.

"It was nice to come back and contribute," said Jovanovski, who has six goals and eight assists in 19 games. "When you come back you're working to get stronger, and that's what I'm trying to do right now."

The Coyotes beat Minnesota 3-2 on Nov. 18 with different players scoring each goal. The Wild, though, won 12 of the last 15 meetings and five of the previous seven in Phoenix.

Brunette had three goals and three assists in the last four overall matchups, recording one of each Nov. 18.