Wild-Anaheim game preview
December 10, 2019 at 4:12AM
Preview: This is the start of the Wild's longest homestand to date, a three-game stint before the team returns to the road for another three-game trip. The plan remains for D Brennan Menell to debut this week after recently getting recalled from the minors, but it's unclear when that could happen. C Nico Sturm was returned to Iowa in the American Hockey League on Monday after practicing with the Wild. Alex Stalock and Kaapo Kahkonen will continue to handle the goaltending duties. Although he practiced with the Wild on Monday, Devan Dubnyk will be away from the team Tuesday and Wednesday as his wife continues to deal with a medical situation.
Players to watch: Ducks C Ryan Getzlaf has at least a point in nine of his past 10 games. RW Jakob Silfverberg's 11 goals lead the Ducks. … F Ryan Donato, who scored Saturday, centered LW Zach Parise and RW Kevin Fiala during practice Monday. RW Mats Zuccarello is the midst of his second three-game goal streak this season.
Numbers: The Wild has played the fewest home games in the NHL (10). It's on a nine-game point streak (7-0-2) at Xcel Energy Center. Anaheim is 1-3-1 in its past five games. The Ducks have struggled on the road, where they're 4-8-2.
Injuries: Ducks LW Nick Ritchie (sprained knee) and D Josh Manson (MCL sprain) are out. … Wild G Dubynk (family illness), Ds Jared Spurgeon (hand) and Greg Pateryn (lower body) and C Mikko Koivu (lower body) are also out. Spurgeon, however, is skating with no contact.
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NHL referee Mitch Dunning is fully communicative and can move all his extremities following a violent collision with Colorado defenseman Josh Manson in Monday night's game at Philadelphia.
