Wild vs. Canadiens game preview: Battle of banged-up teams on an upswing
WILD GAMEDAY
vs. Montreal Canadiens, Xcel Energy Center, 7 p.m. today
TV; radio: BSN Extra; 100.3 FM
Stats and analytics: Tap here.
Pregame reading: There were lots of major contributors during Tuesday's victory in Boston.
For the fans: The NHL's roster freeze is in effect through midnight on Dec. 28. Minus a few exceptions, teams are prohibited from trades, waivers and loans.
Sarah McLellan's preview:
Late addition: Jake Lucchini was called up from Iowa this afternoon under emergency conditions. The 28-year-old forward has nine goals for Iowa; he played in 11 games last season for the Ottawa Senators and scored a goal. His recall means the Wild has a mystery injury, which coach John Hynes hinted was the case at morning skate.
Opening bell: The Wild are back in action after a signature win at Boston on Tuesday, and they've won four straight on home ice. D Jared Spurgeon, who's missed the past four games due to injury, won't play but could return Saturday against Boston. Filip Gustavsson will start in goal for the Wild.
Watch him: LW Kirill Kaprizov is coming off his first two-goal game of the season. Both plays were indicative of Kaprizov's strengths: his first tally was a result of him being around the net to capitalize on a deflected puck, and his game-winner in overtime vs. the Bruins was an impressive one-timer.
Injuries: Wild D Jonas Brodin (upper body), Spurgeon (lower body) and RW Mats Zuccarello (upper body). Canadiens C Kirby Dach (knee), D Jordan Harris (lower body), LW Rafael Harvey-Pinard (lower body), C Alex Newhook (ankle) and LW Tanner Pearson (upper body).
Forecast: The Canadiens are improving, going 3-1-1 over their past five games. Coach Martin St. Louis has praised the team for being locked-in and the most organized since he's been behind the bench. That should make the rematch more competitive than Round 1, but the Wild have also made strides since then. Although they blew a late lead in the third period to Boston, they reset in overtime. If they can preserve that resilience, it should serve them well in future pressure-packed situations.
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