Wild Game Day number 27 Wild Record (14-8-4 32 pts) Home Record (8-3-0)
Opponent: St. Louis Blues (16-8-4 36 pts) Road Record (4-7-1)
Site: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN
Time: 5:00PM CT
TV: Fox Sports North Plus(FSN+)
Last Season results: 10/10/15 Blues 2 @ Wild 3 10/31/15 Wild 2 @ Blues 3 (OT) 12/31/15 Wild 3 @ Blues 1 2/6/16 Wild 1 @ Blues 4 3/6/16 Blues 4 @ Wild 2
Last result: 10/13 Wild 2 @ Blues 3 11/26 Wild 3 @ Blues 4 (SO)
The Blues make their first visit to the Xcel Energy Center tonight. St. Louis is currently sitting in 2nd place in the Central four points ahead of Minnesota, but the Wild do have 2 games in hand. The Blues are in the midst of a four game road trip which has seen them split the first two game winning 4-1 in New Jersey while dropping a 3-2 contest in Brooklyn against the Islanders.
St. Louis has not been the same team away from the Scottrade Center winning just four of twelve road games so far.
The Wild and Blues usually play very tight games with both teams being very disciplined in their own zone. They do go about their game plan a bit differently but in the end they are both very strong structured teams.
St. Louis is typically much more physical and they have a tendency to get themselves into penalty trouble. Their PK is 2nd in the NHL at 87.4% which says all that you need to know about the Blues ability to overcome their sometimes over aggressive play.
Special teams are always a big key in inter division games and especially when the Blues and Wild get together. The Wild PK had their 16 straight penalties killed streak snapped last game when Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored at the 15:21 mark of the 3rd period on Friday night allowing the Oilers to gain the tie and send the game to OT.
Devan Dubnyk will once again be in goal for the Wild. Dubnyk has not fared well against the Blues in his career. In 17 career starts Dubnyk has a 4-11-2 record. Of course that includes his time in Edmonton where he was not playing behind anything remotely resembling an NHL defense. There is also that 6 game playoff series from two years ago that the Wild won in six games largely due to Dubnyk's play in the Minnesota net.
It will be interesting to see how the new look Wild fourth line will fare tonight against the Blues. This should be a great test for them as their size and strength will be a big key against a very physical Blues team.
The Wild will be looking to take their winning streak to a season long four games while at the same time also extend their regulation unbeaten streak also to a season high five games tonight.
Let's Play Hockey!