The Minnesota Wild have been surging of late, but they still sit in 10th place in the West, three points back of eighth place Calgary. The Wild face a must win situation here in Edmonton tonight, taking on an Oilers team that sits in the Western Conference cellar. The Oilers don't have a lot to play for, and should struggle to match the intensity of a desperate team fighting for it's playoff lives.

Here are my keys to the game:

1. Previous History - The Wild have won four straight in Edmonton, and six of eight overall against the Oilers. The Oilers have just six wins in their last 22 home games.

2. Goaltending - Former Oiler Devan Dubnyk has thrived in his new home in Minnesota. He's now 11-2-1 with four shutouts in 15 starts since coming over in a trade from Arizona. He stopped 35-of-37 shots in a 3-2 win at Calgary on Wednesday.

3. X-Factor - There are only a handful of teams that own a less effective power play than Minnesota, but Edmonton is one of the those. The Oilers rank near the bottom of the league in both special teams categories, while the Wild rank 3rd in the NHL on the penalty kill.

Selection: This is a play on the Minnesota Wild (8*)