Wild Game Day number 15 Wild Record (8-5-1 17 pts) Home Record (4-1-0)
Opponent: Calgary Flames (5-10-1 11 pts) Road Record (3-4-1)
Site: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN
Time: 7:00PM CT
TV: Fox Sports North (FSN)
Last Season Results: 2/17 Wild 5 @ Flames 3 3/24 Flames 2 @ Wild 6 4/9 Flames 2 @ Wild 1
The Wild return to the Xcel Energy Center tonight to host the Calgary Flames, after a successful two and one east coast trip. The Wild took two of the three meetings last season with Calgary and have an 11-2-1 record versus the Flames in the last fourteen meetings.
The Flames have struggled under their new first year coach Glen Gulutzan. Calgary comes into the game tonight having lost four in a row and six of their last seven while being outscored 27-9 over that stretch.
Gulutzan is juggling his lines once again in an attempt to spark their struggling offense. Moving to the first line is Troy Brouwer to play with Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan, replacing Steve Chiasson who will move to the second line.
For Minnesota the news has gotten much better as Zach Parise will be in the lineup tonight making his return after missing the last six games with a foot injury. Joel Eriksson Ek will not play as the Wild evaluate his status prior to the 10 game mark which would enact the first year of his three year entry level contract.
Again the Wild will be looking for a more consistent performance game to game. Working to eliminate the lapses in attention to detail. They have a tendency to just float through games almost as if they can get by on their talent alone. They are not at all talented enough to ever get by on talent alone.
Tonight is a game the Wild need to win. They cannot afford to let the Flames play their game. Calgary's best players have been their worst plus/minus players all season, but if they get some room they will absolutely put the puck in the net.
Ten games in seventeen days is tough on any team, but the really good teams will win the games they are supposed to win, which is exactly what tonight is for the Wild.
Keys to the game for the Wild: Avoid a letdown after a successful road trip Don't let Parise's return be a distraction (avoid overconfidence) Keep the Flames guns Gaudreau and Monahan in check Take control of the game early and never let off the gas
Let's Go Crazy!
Let's Go Wild!
Let's Play Hockey!