Wild Game Day number 39 Wild Record (20-15-3 43 pts) Road Record (8-11-1)
Opponent: Nashville Predators (22-10-5 49 pts) Home Record (11-4-2)
Site: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
Time: 7:00PM CT
TV: Fox Sports North (FSN)
Last season results: 12/15 Wild 5 @ Predators 2 12/27 Wild 3 @ Predators 2 1/22 Predators 4 @ Wild 2 2/18 Predators 2 @ Wild 5 4/1 Wild 0 @ Predators 3
Last result: 11/16 Predators 4 @ Wild 6 12/29 Predators 2 @ Wild 4
The scene has shifted to Nashville for the back end of the home and home between the Wild and Predators, following Minnesota's 4-2 victory last night in St. Paul. The Predators have dropped four of their last five (0-4-1) creating a real logjam in the Central Division with 11 points now separating top to bottom and just 6 points between the 5th place Wild and now 2nd place Predators.
That could get even tighter if the Wild can pull off the home and home sweep tonight. That is a whole lot easier said than done though as the Predators have only lost 4 games at home in regulation so far this season. But the fact that two of those four home losses have come in their last two home games and a three game home winless streak (0-2-1) gives the Wild some hope.
Last night the Wild came out strong with a game plan of shoot first and the result was 18 shots on goal and a 2-1 lead after one. The Wild got the first two powerplays of the game for the first time in 14 games.
That same mentality needs to be incorporated throughout tonight's road game if the Wild expect to have a positive result. When the Wild play with a simple approach to create offense off the shot, they are at their best. Their troubles occur when they try to be something they are not, by getting too cute and looking for the perfect play type of offense.
The last two Wild wins have been the result of quick puck movement and a north south game plan. The Wild are a team that needs to get production from up and down the lineup in order to be successful.
The road has not been too kind to the Wild so far this season where the Wild have won just 8 of 20 games. Tonight will be a great test for the team as they face one of the best home teams in the league, in front of a very tough crowd.
Devan Dubnyk made his return to the Wild net last night and outside of the PK Subban goal looked very strong, stopping 41 of 43 Predator shots recording his 13th win of the season in the process.
Expect in the back to back situation that we will see Alex Stalock in net tonight in Nashville. For the first time in several years the Wild have a capable back-up goalie and one that is even thought of now as a 1A rather than a back-up.
Stalock creates a different look for Wild opponents, of course with his excellent puck moving skills and his overall quickness. This forces teams to think about how they are going to enter the Wild zone and adjust to how and when they are going to put the puck deep. Stalock also provides the Wild with another option in the transition game.
Mikael Granlund was the hero last night with his second career hattrick and seemed to have the puck on his stick the entire night. While the Wild defense was very instrumental in the transition game as well as the offense.
Matt Dumba scored a goal using his tremendous hockey sense and elite level skill to freeze Miika Salomaki, then walk to the middle of the ice and release and laser wrist shot utilizing the screen set up by Marcus Foligno in front of Pekka Rinne, for his 7th goal of the season. Dumba now has 6 goals and 10 points in the 13 December games the Wild have played.
So after two bad losses to end the last Wild road trip before the Christmas break, the team has responded with two of their better performances of the year with consecutive 4-2 home wins over division opponents. How they perform tonight on the road will be a good measuring stick to see how the team has taken the lessons learned from the most recent road trip setbacks, and channeled that into their preparation and ultimately game execution.
It's Always Hockey Day in The State of Hockey!
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