Kings vs. Wild: 3 things you need to know

The Minnesota Wild host the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday in a contest that has major playoff implications with both squads fighting near the bottom of the Western Conference standings to try to secure a postseason spot.

With both teams playing nearly identical hockey from a record standpoint, here are three things you need to know about Saturday's matchup:

The Kings are suddenly unbeatable on the road

Out of nowhere, the Kings, who couldn't seem to buy a road victory throughout most of the season, are unbeatable away from home.

The Kings are 15-14-7 on the road after going 6-0-1 in their past seven games, which speaks volumes on how poorly they played on the road prior to this hot streak.

They recently played beautifully on a trip through the New York area, defeating the New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers and New York Islanders over the span of four days.

The Wild play well at home with a 20-11-5 record on the year, so it will be a tough test for the Kings to continue their recent road success.

Dubnyk vs. Quick

If someone would have said that Devan Dubnyk versus Jonathan Quick was a goalie matchup to watch at the beginning of the season, laughs may have ensued, but this will be one heck of a goaltending battle.

Dubnyk just won't take a break. He'll start in his 34th consecutive game and has been a saving grace between the pipes for a Wild team that was a playoff team on paper but struggled early in the season due to lackluster netminding.

Since trading for Dubnyk, the Wild have become a completely different team and could be a dangerous showdown for anyone if they make the playoffs.

On the other end of the ice is Quick, who is arguably one of the best goaltenders of this generation.

His 19 losses are his most since 2011-12, but his save percentage is actually higher than last season and his goals-against average is still an impressive 2.26.

Quick can change a game all by himself, which could make for an interesting Saturday night for the Wild.

Who wants it more?

When teams are battling for a playoff spot, every game and point matters, especially when both competing teams are fighting near the bottom of the standings to get into the postseason.

The Wild and Kings are both playing great hockey. They're both anchored by hot goaltenders. They're both playing gritty playoff hockey and they're both hungry for the postseason.

So the question is: Who wants it more?

Expect both teams to shoot out of the gates firing on all cylinders, trying to one up the other trying to gain an early advantage, so they can clamp down defensively.

Whoever is the most rested could be the difference. 

With the Wild playing the Calgary Flames on Friday, the Kings may have an advantage with the night off. However, the Kings have been on the road since March 23, so the Wild could actually be the more rested squad.