ANAHEIM – The Wild didn't reclaim a playoff spot Saturday, instead getting tripped up 7-3 by the Kings, but it has another chance Sunday when the team wraps up its three-game road trip against the Ducks in Anaheim.
Wild faces Ducks in road-trip finale with chance to reclaim playoff spot
The Wild wraps up its three-game road trip Sunday in Anaheim against the Ducks.
March 8, 2020 at 3:46PM
"We know we have to keep going with these streaks," winger Marcus Foligno said. "We can't go into [Sunday's] game and hope for something. We gotta go at it and win."
It's likely the Wild tabs goalie Devan Dubnyk for this game.
Alex Stalock has been on a roll of late, going 9-3-1 in his last 13 starts, but he was in net Saturday for the setback to the Kings. After the game, interim coach Dean Evason said he'd consider Dubnyk for Sunday's matchup.
"I've got to make a save," Stalock said. "Rebound control, big save at the right time, there was a lot that went into it [Saturday], but obviously the floodgates opened late. But the good thing is we have a game [Sunday]. That's the best thing right now is get back there [Sunday] and get two points."
Dubnyk last played Feb.23, a 4-1 loss to the Blues at home. Before then, he was in net for the 4-3 win over the Canucks in Vancouver on Feb.19.
With a win, the Wild would move back into a wild card spot.
Currently, it's chasing Vancouver, Nashville and Winnipeg by one point. But the Predators and Jets are idle on Sunday, while the Canucks take on the Blue Jackets.
Projected lineup:
Zach Parise-Luke Kunin-Kevin Fiala
Gerald Mayhew-Joel Eriksson Ek-Jordan Greenway
Marcus Foligno-Alex Galchenyuk-Mats Zuccarello
Ryan Donato-Mikko Koivu-Ryan Hartman
Ryan Suter-Jared Spurgeon
Jonas Brodin-Matt Dumba
Brad Hunt-Greg Pateryn
Devan Dubnyk
Key numbers:
3: Points for center Luke Kunin over his last three games.
600: Career games for defenseman Ryan Suter with the Wild.
3-3-1: Record for the Wild in the second game of a back-to-back.
4-1: Showing for the Wild in its last five games in Anaheim.
15: Goals for the Wild in those matchups compared to nine for the Ducks.
About the Ducks:
Anaheim remains near the bottom of the Western conference standings, but the Ducks have won two in a row – most recently getting by the Maple Leafs 2-1 on Friday. Overall, the Ducks are 15-14-4 at home. Center Adam Henrique has a team-high 25 goals. Captain Ryan Getzlaf leads Anaheim in points with 41. Getzlaf has 36 points in 47 career games against the Wild.
The veteran forward was injured when hit with a shot during Thursday’s victory over Montreal.
