The set-up: The 33-20-7 Minnesota Wild attempt to complete a perfect three-game road trip when they visit the fading 27-29-5 New York Rangers on Friday at Madison Square Garden. The Wild opened their trip with a 5-3 win against the New York Islanders on Monday, before rallying from an early two-goal deficit to knock off New Jersey 4-2 last night. Minnesota improved to 5-1-2 in its last eight contests and currently holds down the first of two wild card spots in the West with 73 points. Meanwhile, the Rangers have dropped nine of their last 11 including five in a row, after suffering a 3-1 loss at Montreal on Thursday. The Rangers have 59 points, six out of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Minnesota: Eric Staal recorded his 900th career point in last night's win and leads the team with 54 points. He has registered eight goals and nine assists in his last 15 games. Mikael Granlund reached 30 assists for the fifth straight season Thursday and is second on the team with 45 points, two more than Jason Zucker, who has scored a career-high 25 goals. Defenseman Matt Dumba matched a career high of 34 points with an assits vs. New Jersey. Backup goalie Alex Stalock delivered a sterling 38-save performance last night but Devan Dubnyk will start Friday. Dubnyk made 32 saves in Minnesota's 3-2 home victory over the New York Rangers back on Feb. 13 and is 9-2-3 in his last 14 starts, since allowing six goals at Colorado on Jan. 6.

NY Rangers: Michael Grabner was a healthy scratch against the Canadiens and the Rangers announced after the game that they had traded their leading goal scorer to New Jersey after the game. Rick Nash was also a healthy scratch against Montreal, as trade talk involving the former Maurice Richard Trophy winner has been intensifying. Head coach Alain Vigneault told reporters he would sit again versus Minnesota. What's going on here? Kevin Hayes has scored in back-to-back games and accumulated four goals and four assists over his last seven contests.

The pick: Both teams played their backup goalies last night, so it figures to Devan Dubnyk opposing Henrik Lundqvist in the second game of the teams' back-to-back sets. Dubnyk beat the Islanders to open the trip and owns a 5-1-2 record with a .925 save percentage this month. As for Lundqvist, just 23-21-4 on the season, he was rested Thursday after surrendering 12 goals over his last two starts. Lundqvist has lost four straight regulation games and is 2-8-1 with a 4.24 GAA and a .881 save percentage in his last 10 games. Make Minnesota an 8* play.