(Sports Network) - Top spot in the Northwest Division is up for grabs this evening when the Vancouver Canucks play host to the Minnesota Wild.
Minnesota and Vancouver both have 32 points through 27 games, putting the clubs four points ahead of Edmonton in the division standings. Tonight marks the final of four regular-season meetings between the co-leaders this year.
The Canucks took the first two, including a 2-1 home victory on Feb. 12. That left the Wild winless in Vancouver since a 4-3 overtime win on Jan. 31, 2009.
Minnesota did best Vancouver for only the third time in the past 12 meetings overall with a 4-2 home win on March 10, getting a pair of goals and an assist from Zach Parise.
The Wild have won four of five and nine of their last 13 to catch the Canucks in the standings. Minnesota's 6-4 victory on Saturday in Colorado created the tie for first place as Vancouver lost to Detroit later that night.
The Canucks got off to a quick start on Saturday as Alexandre Burrows set a franchise record for the fastest goal to start a game when he one-timed a Daniel Sedin feed into the back of the net six seconds into the contest.
However, Vancouver didn't score again until Burrows' third-period tally and lost a 5-2 decision to the Red Wings. The Canucks had a two-game winning streak stopped and lost for the seventh time in the past 10 games.
Roberto Luongo gave up all five goals on 26 shots in the loss.
"It was a disappointing result tonight," said Luongo. "Their goalie had a great game tonight and I struggled out there. Just have to forget about this one and get back to work tomorrow."
Luongo gets the nod in goal against the Wild this evening.
Burrows' goal was the fourth-fastest in NHL history and broke Trevor Linden's previous club record of nine seconds set on Jan. 16, 1994.
Vancouver lost forward David Booth to a lower body injury in the first period and he did not return, while Zack Kassian sat out due to a stiff back.
