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Slumping Wild look to regroup against Red Wings

Dec 1, 2006 - 2:37 PM Detroit (13-6-4) at Minnesota (13-10-1) 8:00 pm EST

ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Ticker) - The Minnesota Wild started the season as one of the hottest teams in the NHL. But that was a long time ago.

The Wild have gone 2-6-1 in their last nine games, and look to rebound when they host the Detroit Red Wings on Friday.

Minnesota is hoping to get Marian Gaborik back. The star winger has been out since October 20 with a groin injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Before getting hurt, Gaborik had four goals and three assists as the Wild jumped out to a 6-1-0 start. But since he has been out of the lineup, the Wild have been an ordinary 7-9-1.

Minnesota's latest loss was a 2-1 defeat to the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday. Mattias Weinhandl scored his first goal of the season but that was it. Manny Fernandez was solid in stopping 29 shots but the Wild managed only 16 shots.

The Red Wings have been stumbling lately as well, going just 1-2-3 in their last six. However, Detroit did snap its five-game winless streak with a 2-1 triumph over the Dallas Stars on Monday.

The Red Wings trailed, 1-0, after two periods, but Kris Draper and defenseman Mathieu Schneider each scored a shorhanded goal in the third period for the win.