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Wild hope to extend success over Bruins

Feb 19, 2012 - 3:31 PM (Sports Network) - The Wild hope their franchise history versus the Bruins can help them avoid matching their longest losing streak of the season. Boston is banking on Minnesota's offensive woes continuing.

With just two losses in 11 all-time meetings, the Wild look to snap a seven- game slide this afternoon versus the Bruins.

Minnesota sat atop the NHL standings at one point in December, but has lost 23 of its past 28 to fall six points out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Wild's free-fall began with a season-high eight-game slide and they have been held to one goal or less five times over their current losing streak.

They were shut out for the first time on the seven-game skid Saturday, falling 4-0 in St. Louis. Josh Harding got the start in net and allowed all four goals on 34 shots for a Minnesota club that hasn't won since Feb. 2.

"They played a great game, no question," Wild head coach Mike Yeo said. "We came out with the right mindset, but there are definitely things we need to improve on."

Minnesota has already lost Clayton Stoner and Carson McMillan to lower-body injuries this month and played minus captain Mikko Koivu and defenseman Mike Lundin yesterday due to undisclosed ailments.

The Wild have had a great deal of success versus the Bruins since entering the league in 2000-01, going 9-1-1 in the 11 encounters. They have outscored Boston 33-16 over that time, but both setbacks in this series have come at home. That includes a 2-1 shootout defeat in the last meeting at Minnesota on Nov. 25, 2009.

The Bruins hope to get back on a consistent track this afternoon as they have split the first two of a six-game road trip and are 11-10-1 since a seven-game win streak in December.

Boston skidded to its fifth loss in eight games on Friday, a 4-2 setback in Winnipeg. It has been held to three goals in those five defeats, getting shut out three times in that span.

Jordan Caron and David Krejci scored for the Bruins, while Tuukka Rask yielded four goals on 25 shots.

"I'm not so happy about the second one because it went through me, but the first one it wasn't the hardest shot ever but it caught me in a good spot," Rask admitted of Winnipeg's first two goals.

Boston, which leads Ottawa by four points for first place in the Northeast Division, is without Nathan Horton (concussion) and Rich Peverley (sprained right MCL) due to injury.