The Leafs are next up for the Wild on the homestand with their sizzling 9 game point streak and 10-4-1 record since new head coach, Sheldon Keefe took the helm.
Toronto is coming off an overtime loss to the Rangers on another Tony DeAngelo game winner. DeAngelo was the OT hero the last time the Wild played the Rangers, you will recall.
For the Wild they are still stinging from Sunday's third period collapse that saw their one goal lead evaporate into a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Islanders.
On the injury front Wild captain, Mikko Koivu, has been activated from IR and back into the lineup this evening.
Koivu will slot back in between Zach Parise and Kevin Fiala while Ryan Donato will jump up to the top line with Staal and Zuccarello. That will reunite the GEEK squad line of Joel Eriksson Ek, Luke Kunin, and Jordan Greenway.
The Wild fourth line remains in tact with Victor Rask centering Marcus Foligno and Ryan Hartman. That trio has been very productive scoring 6 goals and 12 points over the last 12 Wild games.
Toronto has the makings of a Cup contender led of course by Auston Matthews, John Taveras, and Mitch Marner who have a full complement of pieces down the lineup beyond the star power of those top three.
Finally rid of the tyrant and in my opinion overrated head coach, Mike Babcock, we are finally seeing what this Toronto lineup can really do on the ice. The head games are a thing of the past for the Leafs and their players, now they are settling into their rightful places under their new head coach.
This will be another great test for the Wild as they face a truly upper echelon talent laden squad. The Wild believe that they themselves are a pretty good squad, despite what everyone else might think. They are proving that they can compete and score goals with regularity now it is time to make the move up the standings and gain even more confidence with a win at home against the Leafs.
Happy New Year!!!
It's always Hockey Day in The State of Hockey!