Wild Game Day number 77 Wild Record (44-24-8 96 pts) Home Record (24-11-2)
Opponent: Ottawa Senators (41-25-9 91 pts) Road Record (21-14-1)
Site: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN
Time: 7:00PM CT
TV: Fox Sports North (FSN)
Last Season Results: 3/15 Wild 2 @ Senators 3 (OT) 3/31 Senators 3 @ Wild 2
Last Result: 11/13 Wild 2 @ Senators 1 (OT)
The Wild are climbing out of their month long hibernation and now they will have a new look between the pipes to give them a spark to get back into the win column. Alex Stalock will be making his Wild debut this evening as the Wild host the Senators.
Stalock has a 20-16-1 record this season in Iawa, with a 2.31 GAA and a .924 save percentage. The St. Paul native and former UMD Bulldog has a 24-19-7 lifetime NHL record over parts of 4 seasons with the Sharks, to g along with a .911 save percentage, and 2.38 GAA.
The hope is the Stalock can show some stability in the Wild net, while giving Devan Dubnyk some much needed rest heading into the playoffs. The Wild need to get some continuity in goal again as they work their way out of the month long funk that has seen them win just 3 of 15 games in March.
Joel Eriksson Ek is expected to take Zach Parise's spot in the lineup, which should also add an additional spark to the Wild lineup that has become very ordinary. Eriksson Ek will be appearing in his 10th game of the season thus triggering the first year of his entry level deal. That is a minor concern though as it is about winning and if Erkisson Ek gives the 2017 Wild a better chance to win, he needs to be in the lineup.
Chuck Fletcher went all in with his deadline deal so there is no reason to change that mindset now. The West is still wide open and anyone can win in a seven game series.
Ottawa is in it's own battle for playoff position in the East. They play a very structured defensive system, but have the game breaker Erik Karlsson who has the ability to turn anything into an offensive opportunity. Senators coach, Guy Boucher, has his team totally committed to his system, that requires his players to be responsible in all three zones.
Boucher has been a perfect fit for the Senators to bring the team a better balance from the net out. Craig Anderson is back in between the pipes for the Senators after having taken a few absences to be with his wife in support of her as fights her battle with cancer.
Expect a low scoring game as the Wild and Senators usually play tight checking games with a chess match type feel to them.
Special teams have been a particular concern of late with the Wild. They need to get the PK going again. Tonight's game could very well come down to special teams so there is no time like the present for the Wild to get theirs back on track.
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