Wild Game Day number 43 Wild Record (22-12-8 52 pts) Home Record (14-6-2)
Opponent: Buffalo Sabres (16-22-4 36 pts) Road Record (8-9-1)
Site: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minnesota
Time: 7:00PM CT
TV: Fox Sports North (FSN)
Last Season Results: 11/15 Sabres 3 @ Wild 6 1/15 Wild 7 @ Sabres 0
The Wild host the slumping Buffalo Sabres tonight in St. Paul. Buffalo comes in having won just once in their last seven. The Wild took both meetings last season with their offense exploding for 13 goals in the two wins. The second of those meetings, was Devan Dubnyk's Wild debut, a 7-0 shutout in Buffalo, almost a year ago to the day.
The Wild are riding a mediocre streak of their own going 5-5-2 in their last twelve scoring just 27 goals in those contests. Most alarming is the 2-3-1 home record over that same span.
This is a typical low point in the season for the Wild a trend they need to break in order to climb the standings in the ever tightening Central Division. They need to make the most of these next two home games before they hit the road for Nashville and then to Cali for meetings with all three California teams.
Mike Yeo continues to tinker with line combinations, finding only limited success. He is still reluctant to show much confidence in the younger players, choosing to play his veterans more and more. This strategy may have consequences as the season unfolds. Ryan Suter most notably is logging heavy minutes which as history has shown takes a toll on his body, limiting his effectiveness.
Devan Dubnyk will be back in the Wild net and the Sabres will go with Chad Johnson. The Wild need to exert their will on a one of the league's weaker opponents tonight. This is a must get two points game, no excuses. I expect an all out effort coming off their lackluster performance Sunday versus New Jersey.
Let's Play Hockey!