While Suter did sit out practice on Friday, it appears to be a precautionary measure as he could play Saturday. Follow his status closely today.

Wild defenseman Ryan Suter picked up an assist Saturday's win over the Kings and now stands tied atop the league lead in defenseman scoring.

Suter is tied with injured Penguins star Kris Letang with 28 points and soon bypass the Pittsburgh blueliner. Despite the expensive contract he signed over the summer, Minnesota management must be pleased with the return they have received thus far.

Members of the Minnesota Wild are extremely confident now, having beaten the Red Wings in Detroit Wednesday night for the first time in seven years and going 13-5-1 since Feb. 9, inlcuding four wins in a row and nine intheir past 12 games.

"We expect to win now," said Ryan Suter, the second-leading scoring defenseman in the NHL with 24 points. "Early on, we might not have expected it. Now we expect to win." Coach Mike Yeo said: "I think we're confident going into any building now. I think we're a different team right now." Wild players have such a strut in their step, perhaps they'll even soon exorcise the demons that lurk in Dallas, where the Wild has lost 16 in a row since 2003. It has two cracks there next week.