Wild Game Day number 34 Wild Record (21-8-4 46pts) Road Record (9-5-4)
Opponent: Nashville Predators (15-13-5 35 pts) Home Record (10-4-3)
Site: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
Time: 7:00PM CT
TV: Fox Sports North (FSN)
Last season result: 11/4 Predators 3 @ Wild 2 11/21 Predators 0 @ Wild 4 12/19 Wild 2 @ Predators 3 1/16 Wild 0 @ Predators 3
Last result; 12/15 Wild 5 @ Predators 2
Back to hockey after the three day Christmas break. The break of course comes in the midst of the Wild's franchise record 10 game winning streak. Now that can be a blessing and a curse of course. The team looked very tired in the third period against that Rangers, but found the way to gut out the victory.
Nashville is traditionally very strong at Bridgestone Arena but December has not been kind to them at home. The Predators have dropped five of the seven home games played so far in December. Nashville has been mired in a funk of inconsistency much like the Wild were in prior to their recent 12-1-3 hot streak.
Nashville and Minnesota typically play close tight checking games with very good goaltending at both ends. Both teams have very strong defense units and both coaches like their teams to generate offense by stretching the ice whenever the opportunity presents itself.
PK Subban should be back in the Predator lineup after missing the last four. For the Wild Eric Haula traveled with the team but will be a game time decision if he plays. Zach Parise is still a question mark due to illness.
Bruse Boudreau has his team playing very well. He is pushing all the right buttons but more important is the fact that the Wild have developed a strong level of contency to their game. They have shown that they can play and successful in every situation. They are getting timely scoring and rock solid goaltending. The special teams are stepping up and they are showing tremendous resiliency.
It is easy to talk about all of these things when the team is winning of course. We all know that the win streak will end but the lessons learned during the streak will carry this team throughout the remainder of the season. They have tremendous confidence right now which is infectious. When things start to go south they will need to draw from this to limit the down swings.
It is time to get back to the ice and keep the train rolling in Nashville tonight.
Let's Play Hockey!