The set-up: The Vegas Golden Knights are heading down the stretch of what's been a remarkable inaugural seasons. However, the team looked very much the part of an expansion club Wednesday night when they were drubbed 8-3 by the visiting New Jersey Devils. The Pacific Division-leading Golden Knights (45-20-5, 95 points) look to regain their footing on Friday when they continue their four-game homestand against the 39-24-7 Minnesota Wild, who are clinging to third place in the Central Division with 85 points.

Minnesota: The Wild come in off back-to-back losses at Edmonton (4-1) last Saturday and this past Tuesday at home to Colorado (5-1). The latter was particularly costly because defenseman Jared Spurgeon, who leads the team in blocked shots (127) and is second in TOI (time on ice) at 24:37, suffered a partially torn right hamstring while sliding into the boards and is expected to miss at least four weeks. Captain Mikko Koivu (13 goals & 39 points) scored his team's lone goal in Tuesday's 5-1 loss to Colorado, boosting his point total to eight (four goals, four assists) in his last eight games. Fellow Finn Mikael Granlund would love that goal production but he's registered just one shot against the Avalanche and seven total over his last six games despite notching four assists. Granlund ranks second on the team with 57 points (19 goals) to Eric Staal, who leads in goals (37) and points (68). LW Jason Zucker, a Las Vegas native, has been held off the scoresheet in five of seven contests in March but does have 28 goals and 26 assists on the season.

Vegas: "I was angry after the game. I got home around midnight and had a baloney sandwich and that was that. Move on. Same for our players," Vegas head coach Gerard Gallant said after seeing his team dismantled by New Jersey on Wednesday. Erik Haula () did score twice versus the Devils and has three goals in his last two games overall, heading into a tilt versus his former team. Some good news for Gallant on Thursday was that both James Neal (24 goals, 40 points) and goaltender Malcolm Subban (11-3-1) participated in practice, continuing their steps toward returning to game action. Neal, who has missed eight contests, was paired with Jonathan Marchessault (22 goals & 65 points) and William Karlsson (36 goals & 62 points). As for Subban, he is bidding for his first game action since Feb. 2, with Marc-Andre Fleury being tasked to make 18 of the team's last 19 starts.

The pick: Vegas is coming off its worst home loss in franchise history and will be attempting to snap a three-game losing streak at T-Mobile Arena when it hosts Minnesota Wild on Friday night. Fleury could sure use a break (has started 18 of the last 19 games), as he was yanked early in the second period against the Devils after allowing four goals on 11 shots. He angrily slammed his stick on top of the goal after the final one. Subban owns a 2.59 GAA and a .912 SP. I realize that Minnesota has won both previous encounters with Vegas, a 4-2 victory on Nov. 30 and a 5-2 one on Feb. 2. No ignoring that the Golden Knights are 24-8-2 at home, averaging a whopping 3.62 GPG. Make Vegas an 8* play.