7 p.m. vs. St. Louis • Xcel Energy Center • BSN, 100.3-FM
Wild-St. Louis gameday preview
After two games in St. Louis, the teams take to the ice at the X.
April 12, 2021 at 5:20AM
Preview: This three-game set between the Wild (24-13-3) and Blues (19-16-6) shifts to St. Paul after the Blues won both games in St. Louis. The game-winning goal Saturday by C Ryan O'Reilly at 4 minutes, 58 seconds was the latest in overtime in Blues history. On Sunday, the Wild signed F Nick Swaney to a one-year, entry-level contract that starts next season. The Minnesota Duluth alum will report to Iowa in the American Hockey League on an amateur tryout for the remainder of this season.
Players to watch: Wild C Nico Sturm had a goal and went 8-for-11 on faceoffs in Saturday's OT loss. D Jared Spurgeon blocked a game-high six shots Saturday. … O'Reilly has four goals and an assist in his past two games vs. the Wild. D Vince Dunn assisted on all three St. Louis goals on Saturday.
Numbers: The Wild has nine power-play goals over its past six games. The team hasn't lost more than two games in a row this season. … St. Louis has fared better on the road than at home this season, going 12-7-2. Before these two wins against the Wild, the Blues had dropped seven of its previous eight games.
Injuries: Wild Fs Marcus Foligno (lower body), Nick Bjugstad (upper body) and Kevin Fiala (upper body) didn't play Saturday. Blues Fs Robert Thomas (upper body), Oskar Sundqvist (torn ACL) and Mackenzie MacEachern (upper body) and D Carl Gunnarsson (knee) are out.
The Wild are off to one of the best starts in franchise history, and Kirill Kaprizov is tied for the NHL scoring lead.
