DALLAS — The Wild are expecting an urgent Stars lineup in Game 2 on tonight at American Airlines Center after the Wild won Game 1 in double overtime, but the Wild feel they need to be just as desperate.
"Obviously, that game could have went either way," coach Dean Evason said. "Both teams played great. We catch a bounce at the end, but that means nothing now. Now we gotta validate that Game 1 and have to come out with the same effort."
With "guys banged up," Evason said, the team recalled Sammy Walker from Iowa in the American Hockey League.
Frederick Gaudreau and Marcus Johansson didn't get on the ice at the Wild's morning skate, while Oskar Sundqvist left with the regulars. Sundqvist hasn't played since suffering a lower-body injury on April 6 at Pittsburgh.
Jon Merrill didn't stay late on the ice, which suggests he'll remain in action. John Klingberg, however, did get to skate. He missed Game 1 with a lower-body injury he sustained at practice last Saturday. Joel Eriksson Ek (lower-body injury) also skated but was on the ice after the regulars left.
"They're going to come out swinging," Ryan Reaves said of Dallas. "Lost the first one in their home arena and lost one of their better players [in Joe Pavelski]. It's just like any series no matter the situation that team is going to come out pretty hard, and it's the same situation for us.
"We win one. We gotta forget about it. We gotta come out harder and outmatch their intensity."
Projected lineup:
