Preview: After a 2-1 road trip, the Wild returns to St. Paul for the first time since Oct. 29 and opens a three-game homestand and a stretch of seven games in 12 days. The Wild is 11-3-1 in its past 15 games against the Flames.
Wild-Calgary game preview
November 15, 2016 at 5:26AM
Players to watch: Wild center Eric Staal has at least a point in eight of his past nine games. D Ryan Suter leads the Wild with eight assists and three multipoint games. He ranks second in the NHL in average ice time per game (27:21) and is tied for fourth among NHL defensemen with 12 points. Goalie Devan Dubnyk has allowed eight goals in his past seven games, stopping 219 of 227 shots in that span for a .965 save percentage and 1.15 goals-against average. Flames LW Johnny Gaudreau was sixth in the NHL last season with 78 points. Former Blues G Brian Elliott is 8-2 against the Wild with a 2.18 goals-against average.
Numbers: The Wild has given up 31.4 shots per game (ninth most in the NHL) but has given up a league-low 28 goals, nine in the past eight games; the Flames have allowed a league-high 3.63 goals per game. … The Wild is tied for fifth in the NHL with a plus-13 goal differential; the Flames are a league-worst minus-20. The Flames have scored 2.38 goals per game (24th in the NHL).
Injuries: Wild left winger Zach Parise (foot) is probable. Defenseman Marco Scandella (ankle) and C Zac Dalpe (knee) are out. Flames D Ladislav Smid (neck), RW Kris Versteeg (groin) and C Lance Buoma (shoulder) are out and LW Matt Tkachuk (lacerated wrist) is probable.
Michael Russo
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The Wild are off to one of the best starts in franchise history, and Kirill Kaprizov is tied for the NHL scoring lead.
