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Tonight on NBCSN: A doubleheader with lots of Western playoff implications

Minnesota Wild v Los Angeles Kings

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 08: Darroll Powe #14 of the Minnesota Wild puts a check on Matt Greene #2 of the Los Angeles Kings during the first period at Staples Center on December 8, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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With the trade deadline past us now, it’s time to get focused in on the hunt for the playoffs. While the race for the eighth spot in the East is a bit manic, the hunt in the West is just as tight and tonight’s doubleheader will highlight that madness.

First up at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, the Los Angeles Kings travel to Minnesota to take on the Wild. The Kings are two points out of eighth and are coming off yet another offensively tough loss, this time at the hands of the Nashville Predators 2-1. The Kings made their push for the postseason by acquiring Jeff Carter from Columbus and after seeing Dustin Brown blow up for a hat trick and four points in Carter’s first game, the snap judgment was that the deal was a success. The Kings hope to get a few more goals than the one they had last night this time around.

The Wild, meanwhile, are still hanging around in the West. After a rocket rise to the top to start the season, Minnesota has tumbled back to earth and sit five points out of the playoffs. With Mikko Koivu out of action, the Wild are in need of an offensive leader. Dany Heatley has helped provide that spark but for the Wild to make a run at the playoffs, it’ll take a village to do it. Well, a village with tougher defense and stingy goaltending anyhow.

Ilya Bryzgalov

The late game out west features the struggling San Jose Sharks hosting the Philadelphia Flyers (10:30 p.m. ET) and while the Sharks tried to tempt the Flyers into making a deal yesterday, they’ll do their part to keep giving Ilya Bryzgalov nightmares.

After the deal the Sharks made yesterday with Colorado, they’re trying to right the ship in a way that gives them more depth. With 71 points, the Sharks are seventh in the West. Unfortunately for them, the race in the Pacific Division is too tight to breathe easy. They’re just a point ahead of Dallas, three ahead of the Kings, and seven up on the Ducks all while trailing the Coyotes by two points. Throw in Colorado, Calgary, and Minnesota and you’ve got a fun jumble for the postseason. The Sharks will need their stars in Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau to step things up.

The Flyers, meanwhile, are sitting the prettiest of all the teams playing tonight but they’re not without issues themselves. They continue to get iffy goaltending from Ilya Bryzgalov and despite his good humor in handling things (sometimes anyhow), jokes and one-liners aren’t going to stop pucks. Despite the great play from the likes of Jaromir Jagr, Scott Hartnell, and Claude Giroux it comes down to keeping the opponent off the board. The Flyers hope this isn’t a humongous big task for Bryzgalov to conquer.