SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- Life is full of opportunities. And as the "on the bubble" Minnesota Wild head into a five-game homestand, they know that their opportunity to make some real headway in the playoff race is now. It begins on Thursday, when the Arizona Coyotes visit Xcel Energy Center.
For the Coyotes, who are practically, but not mathematically, out of the playoff race, the last two months of the season represent a learning opportunity for a young team trying to find its way in the Western Conference and build for the future.
"We've got 29 (games) to go here," Arizona center Derek Stepan said after his team's one-goal loss in Winnipeg on Tuesday.