Wild vs. Canucks game preview: Broadcast information, injury list and analysis
The league-leading Canucks’ loss against Winnipeg on Saturday night is only the second regulation loss in their past 18 games.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
February 19, 2024 at 11:03AM
1 p.m. Monday vs. Vancouver Canucks, Xcel Energy Center
TV; radio: BSN; 100.3 FM
Stats and analytics: Tap here.
Pregame reading: A late equalizer forced overtime in the Wild’s loss against Buffalo.
Sarah McLellan’s preview:
Opening bell: This is the beginning of a challenging week for the Wild. Over the next five days, they will face the top team in the NHL (Vancouver), a rival that’s battling for first place in the Central Division (Winnipeg) and a lineup that has lost only three times in its past 22 games (Edmonton). But the Wild (25-23-6) should be encouraged by how competitive their previous matchups against the Canucks (37-13-6) were. After getting shut out 2-0 in Vancouver on Dec. 7, the Wild responded with a 2-1 shootout victory at home on Dec. 16.
Watch him: Wild C Joel Eriksson Ek needs one more goal to reach 26 and tie his career high set in 2021-22. His 25 tallies are the most on the Wild, and he’s scored four times during his three-game goal streak. Since Jan. 6, Eriksson Ek has 20 points in 17 games.
Injuries: Wild LW Marcus Foligno (lower body), RW Pat Maroon (back) and D Jared Spurgeon (hip/back). Canucks D Guillaume Brisebois (upper body), C Dakota Joshua (upper body), D Tucker Poolman (migraines) and D Carson Soucy (hand).
Forecast: Vancouver is coming off a loss to Winnipeg that ended its three-game win streak, but that was the Canucks’ only second defeat in regulation over the past 18 games: they are atop the NHL for a reason. Not only are the Canucks stingy in their own zone, their offense is talented; RW Elias Pettersson and C J.T. Miller have already reached 70 points, while Burnsville RW Brock Boeser has 30 goals. As such, the Wild will need to be sharp all over the ice by taking advantage of scoring chances when they get them but also avoiding defensive lapses like the last-minute breakdown in front of their own net that led to the game-tying goal in Buffalo’s 3-2 overtime rally on Saturday, ending the Wild’s four-game win streak.
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The team has continued to play high-level hockey for long enough that it’s no longer a surprise. President of Hockey Operations Bill Guerin sees the reasons for that and sees no reason for it to stop.
