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UPDATED: Wild Face a Much Different Devils Team |
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Wild Game Day number 20
Wild Record (9-8-2 20 pts)
Home Record (5-3-1)
Opponent: New Jersey Devils (11-5-3 25 pts)
Road Record (6-2-2)
Site: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minnesota
Time: 7:00PM CT
TV: Fox Sports North (FSN)
Last result:
10/22 Wild 1 @ Devils 2 (OT)
1/17 Devils 4 @ Wild 3
The Wild return home, after falling to the Capitals in Washington 3-1, Metropolitan Division leading New Jersey Devils. The Devils took both games with the Wild last year and have won the last four over the past two seasons.
Interestingly the Devils bring one of the league's best offenses (3.21 GPG, 8th in the NHL) and a defense that is in the bottom half of the league (3.11 GAPG, 20th in the NHL). A very different look for the Devils who for two decades lived on superb goaltending and shutdown defense.
Cory Schneider is still one of the league's best goalies, but with the Devils playing a more up tempo game his GAA (2.87) is up and save percentage (.917) is a bit off of where we usually see him.
The Devils have several new faces highlighted by 2017 1st overall draft pick Nico Hischier with his 3 goals and 15 points through his first 19 NHL contests. Hischier is not the only rookie making a difference for the Devils as Jesper Bratt, New Jersey's 6th round pick #144 overall in 2016, has 5 goals and 13 points. 2017 Hobey Baker Award winner, Will Butcher, has burst on the NHL scene with a goal and 14 assists.
Brian Boyle is the absolute feel good story of the young NHL season as he has returned to play following his diagnosis with chronic myeloid leukemia. Boyle is a winner in every aspect of the word, first doing whatever it takes to give his team a chance to win on the ice, a true leader of the ice and with his teammates. Now he is taking that spirit to the biggest battle of his life.
The Wild suffered a tough loss in Washington on Saturday following their four game win streak. They did not play a bad game, they just ran into a determined Caps team that was coming off a couple of disappointing losses and made the necessary adjustments to get back into the win column.
No it wasn't the Wild's best game, but they did manage to score on the powerplay for the second straight game. They also got a good performance from backup goalie Alex Stalock, but were unable to get him a little more goal support.
The NHL season is not a fair breakdown of games and just because one team beats another on one night doesn't tell the whole story. Teams travel and results are all individual. The 82 game season will take it's twists and turns for every team and one night a team may catch an opponent that is a bit fatigued from playing a high volume of games in a short period, or catch a team off consecutive losses and they come in fired up.
The loss in Washington is just that an L, now what the Wild do tonight against a very good Devils team? That is the bigger point. A win tonight and the Wild will have wins in 5 of 6 and the confidence will continue to grow.
Avoiding losing streaks is actually better than going on a long win streak, because it shows that team can make the necessary changes to get back in the win column, and in the end establishes a consistency that brings a team closer together.
Tonight is another measuring stick for the Wild.
Update: Charlie Coyle has been activated from LTIR and Zach Parise has been placed on LTIR.
Coyle is a game time decision and could make his return as early as tonight. Boudreau hinted that Chuckie could play and we will just have to wait until 7:05. Either way it is great news and the competition for ice time for the forwards can only be a plus for the Wild.
It's Always Hockey Day in The State of Hockey!
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