After back-to-back losses to wrap up last week's road trip, the Wild returns home for one game against the Senators on Tuesday night – a chance to recalibrate in its first matchup vs. an Eastern Conference opponent since March 1, 2020.
Alex Goligoski still out as Wild returns home to take on Senators
The Wild will be without injured defenseman Alex Goligoski on Tuesday night when the team faces the Senators at Xcel Energy Center.
November 2, 2021 at 4:44PM
"We don't care where we play or when we play or who we play," coach Dean Evason said. "We should be playing the same way. Having said that, our crowds have been absolutely phenomenal and understand it's going to be a big crowd here tonight.
"It'll be nice for our group to get back here and feel that energy that our crowd provides for us. We're playing against a really good hockey club that plays hard every single night, so that's what we have to do as well."
Even though he practiced Monday and skated Tuesday morning, defenseman Alex Goligoski (upper-body injury) won't play.
The Wild is keeping its four call-ups (forwards Adam Beckman, Connor Dewar and Kyle Rau and defenseman Calen Addison) in the lineup.
"They're all still in, so they're conducting themselves extremely well," Evason said.
Not only is the Wild coming off consecutive 4-1 losses, to Seattle and Colorado, but the team's special teams' play has also struggled. The power play has just one goal in its last 15 opportunities. As for the penalty kill, the Wild has surrendered at least one goal in all but one of its eight games.
"It comes down to special teams," defenseman Dmitry Kulikov said. "When we have a power play, if we don't score, it needs to generate some momentum for the team. We've had some good chances on the power play. But I think it should be more consistent."
Projected lineup:
Kevin Fiala-Joel Eriksson Ek-Marcus Foligno
Kirill Kaprizov-Frederick Gaudreau-Ryan Hartman
Brandon Duhaime-Nico Sturm-Nick Bjugstad
Adam Beckman-Connor Dewar-Kyle Rau
Dmitry Kulikov-Jared Spurgeon
Jonas Brodin-Matt Dumba
Jon Merrill-Calen Addison
Cam Talbot
Key numbers:
5: One-goal victories for the Wild.
2: Goals for winger Ryan Hartman in his last two games.
8: Consecutive wins for the Wild vs. Ottawa.
5-1: Run for the Wild against the Senators at Xcel Energy Center.
199: Even-strength points for captain Jared Spurgeon.
About the Senators:
Ottawa was in action on Monday, suffering a 5-1 loss in Chicago. Before that, the Senators upended the Stars 4-1 at home. They're 1-2 on the road and 3-5 overall. Center Josh Norris has a team-high five goals. The Senators are 6-for-26 on the power play.
Alex Ovechkin has a broken left fibula and is expected to be out four to six weeks, an injury that pauses the Washington Capitals superstar captain’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record.
