After a longer than expected break in the schedule, the Wild will be back in action tonight against the Sabres at Xcel Energy Center.
Wild back in action at Xcel Energy Center vs. Sabres
The Wild had its game Tuesday postponed after four Carolina players tested positive for COVID-19.
December 16, 2021 at 5:48PM
This homestand was supposed to start on Tuesday, but the game that night against the Hurricanes was postponed after four Carolina players tested positive for COVID-19.
"Hopefully we're energized and ready to go tonight," coach Dean Evason said.
While the Wild was idle, more players around the NHL were placed in the COVID protocols. The Flames were shut down through at least Saturday with the majority of the team sidelined.
"It's our world, right?" Evason said. "Not only the sporting world but everything. We just hope we can all stay safe, and we can go about our business in the right direction. But I think everybody's trying to do the right things. I know certainly we are. It is alarming that it's going again, but we'll just try to stay as safe as we can."
The Wild will stick with the lineup that was initially set to play on Tuesday.
That means defenseman Jonas Brodin will return after missing two games with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Jordie Benn and winger Rem Pitlick will be scratched. Goalie Cam Talbot will start.
"It's the kind of injury that's not that bad," Brodin said on Tuesday before the game against the Hurricanes was called off. "Just a couple of days, and I was good to go. I feel good now. It's good."
Projected lineup:
Jordan Greenway-Joel Eriksson Ek-Marcus Foligno
Kirill Kaprizov-Ryan Hartman-Mats Zuccarello
Kevin Fiala-Victor Rask-Frederick Gaudreau
Brandon Duhaime-Nico Sturm-Nick Bjugstad
Alex Goligoski-Jared Spurgeon
Jonas Brodin-Matt Dumba
Jon Merrill-Dmitry Kulikov
Cam Talbot
Key numbers:
4: Goals or more by the Wild in 16 of its last 20 games.
6: Goals by winger Marcus Foligno over his past nine games.
11-4-3: Record for the Wild vs. the Sabres over the last 18 matchups.
31: Goals for the Wild over its past six home contests.
99: Career goals for Foligno.
About the Sabres:
Buffalo snapped a seven-game losing streak on Tuesday with a 4-2 win at Winnipeg. Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin scored twice that game and has eight points in his last eight road games. He also has three points in three career games vs. the Wild. The Sabres haven't given up a power play goal in seven of its last nine games. All-time, the Sabres are 8-4 vs. the Wild in St. Paul.
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.
