6 p.m. Thursday at Boston Bruins • TD Garden • ESPN, 100.3-FM
Gameday preview: Wild at Boston
Victor Rask has cleared waivers; Nick Bjugstad is sidelined
Wild update: The Wild placed C Victor Rask and G Zane McIntyre on waivers Tuesday, and both players cleared Wednesday. McIntyre was assigned to Iowa in the American Hockey League after signing a two-way contract for the rest of the season, while the plan for Rask is to eventually assign him to the taxi squad. The Wild also recalled G Hunter Jones from Iowa to the taxi squad and promoted G Andrew Hammond from the taxi squad under emergency conditions. RW Nick Bjugstad won't make the trip to Boston after leaving practice hurt on Tuesday. He's out, along with C Joel Eriksson Ek (upper-body injury), LW Jordan Greenway (COVID protocols), D Jared Spurgeon (lower-body injury) and G Cam Talbot (lower-body injury). Fs Matt Boldy and Marco Rossi are expected to make their NHL debuts vs. the Bruins after being called up from the minors on Tuesday.
Bruins update: Boston is coming off a 5-3 win over New Jersey at home on Tuesday, the Bruins' third straight victory. RW David Pastrnak scored the game-winner, his first goal in 10 games. The Bruins have three forwards — Tomas Nosek, Karson Kuhlman and Jake DeBrusk — in COVID protocols. G Jeremy Swayman is scheduled to start vs. the Wild. He's 8-5-2 with a 2.20 goals-against average and .920 save percentage.
The Wild head toward a big game against Dallas with one of the NHL’s best records but also with health concerns after Joel Eriksson Ek and Mats Zuccarello exited injured.