Gameday preview: Wild vs. Vegas
March 9, 2021 at 10:42PM
6 p.m. vs. Vegas • Xcel Energy Center • NBCSN, 100.3-FM
West contenders meet again
Preview: The first-place Golden Knights (16-5-1, 33 points) and third-place Wild (14-8-1, 29 points) square off for the fourth time in 10 days. The Wild is 7-2-2 all time against Vegas, including 4-0-1 at home.
Players to watch: Wild G Kaapo Kahkonen had a 26-save shutout in Monday's 2-0 victory over Vegas to run his winning streak to seven games, the longest by a rookie Wild history and the longest by any NHL goalie this season. He has stopped 188 of 198 shots (94.9%) in that span. Wild F Kevin Fiala has eight points (three goals, five assists) in his past 11 games. … Vegas G Marc-Andre Fleury has stopped 82 of 88 shots (93.2%) against the Wild this season.
Numbers: Through Monday, the Golden Knights' plus-23 scoring differential ranked third in the NHL behind Tampa Bay (plus-35) and Toronto (plus-27). The Wild's plus-11 was tied for seventh. The Golden Knights' points percentage (.750) ranked second to Tampa Bay (.783). The Wild was 10th at .630.
Injuries: Wild centers Ryan Hartman (lower body) and Marcus Johansson (upper body) are out. … Golden Knights F Mark Stone (undisclosed) and D Alex Pietrangelo (undisclosed) are day-to-day. D Brayden McNabb (lower body) and G Robin Lehner (upper body) are on injured reserve.
Randy Johnson
about the writer
The Wild’s Black Friday matinée is against Chicago, a team that doesn’t win often, but when it does, it seems to be at the expense of some of the NHL’s best teams.
