Wild Game Day number 30 Wild Record (17-8-4 38 pts) Home Record (10-3-0)
Opponent: Arizona Coyotes (11-14-5 27 pts) Road Record (5-9-3)
Site: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN
Time: 1:00PM CT
TV: Fox Sports North (FSN)
Last season results: 10/15 Wild 4 @ Coyotes 3 12/11 Wild 1 @ Coyotes 2(OT) 1/25 Coyotes 2 @ Wild 1(SO)
The Wild return to the State of Hockey's winter wonderland to host the Arizona Coyotes. The Coyotes are completing a four game road trip that saw them get blitzed in the first game 7-0 in Pittsburgh, but they responded well with a 4-1 win in Detroit and a 3-2(SO) victory in Toronto on Thursday night.
Arizona took the last two meetings from the Wild last season by identical 2-1 scores, once in OT the other in a shootout. Coyote goalie, Mike Smith, is one of the NHL's most underrated players and he has the ability to steal victories single handedly. Recent history shows that when the Wild and Coyotes meet the outcome is always close and typically low scoring due in lare part to the goaltending at both ends of the ice.
Arizona is a team in transition with a ton of young talent. That can on some nights be exposed much as the Penguins did on Monday night, but that youth also is very unpredictable and very skilled. They are heading in the right direction for sure with young stars Max Domi, Anthony Duclair, and Tobias Rieder being joined by some very skilled rookies this season in Lawson Crouse, Jacob Chychrun, and Anthony DeAngelo.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson is an offensive machine from the Coyote blueline and up front veteran captain Shane Doan and Radim Vrbata can still put the puck in the net. The kids in Arizona are getting on the job training which can be both very exciting and very timultuous at the same time. It is safe to say the Coyotes have experienced their share of both scenarios.
For the Wild, Darcy Kuemper will make the start today in goal. It will be his first start since he allowed five goals on 35 shots in the 5-4 Wild loss in Vancouver back on November 29th. The key for the Wild today is to let Kuemper see the puck early and establish his confidence. His track record is that when he lets up a goal his confidence sags along with his focus.
The Wild need their backup to play and to have confidence that they can win no matter who is in between the pipes. The leadership of the Wild has been an issue for the last several seasons and they need to step up. Part of that is getting the team to pull together for each other. Kuemper needs to pull his weight and the team in front of him has to give him their best effort in support as well.
Hockey is the ultimate team game. 20 guys pulling in the same direction. There is nowhere to hide on the ice in today's NHL, and every player has a role to play in the team's success. Unlike other sports where one or two guys can carry a team, hockey doesn't work that way.
Role players are critical to overall team success and the Wild are experiencing that in a very positive way. Much has been made of their fourth line during the current six game winning streak and for good reason. Chris Stewart, Tyler Graovac, and Kurtis Gabriel are making Wild opponents respect them.
Gabriel has been a force at times and he knows his role and why he is here. He created some waves by saying he wants to hurt people when he fights, but the point is this is real and he is doing what it takes to earn his job every game. Look for Gabriel and Ryan White to be very noticeable this afternoon.
Let's Play Hockey!