Wild Game Day number 40 Wild Record (21-11-7 47 pts) Home Record (14-5-1)
Opponent: Philadelphia Flyers (16-15-7 39 pts) Road Record (7-10-3)
Site: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minnesota
Time: 7:00PM CT
TV: Fox Sports North (FSN)
Last Season Results: 11/20 Wild 3 @ Flyers 2 12/23 Flyers 5 @ Wild 2
Tonight the Wild return home to host the Philadelphia Flyers. Last season the teams split the season series with each team winning in the other's building. The Wild completed their four game road trip with a 2-1-1 record. The Flyers have picked it up after a slow start to the season, going 9-3-2 from late November to the Christmas break. The annual post holiday road trip saw them drop all three games in Cali, and they are winless in their last five road games overall.
The Flyers made a significant deal yesterday when they parted ways with Luke Schenn and Vincent Lecavalier. Lecavalier has been used very sparingly during his two plus seasons in Philadelphia, falling out of favor with Craig Berube after Peter Laviolette was fired three games into the 2013-14 season. Schenn is due to become an unrestricted free agent in July.
Philadelphia will retain 50% of both contracts, but the moves create some flexibility for Flyer GM Ron Hextall to inject more of the team's blue chip prospects into the lineup. The Flyers acquired Jordan Weal in the deal along with a 2016 3rd round draft pick. Weal is expected to get an opportunity to play with the Flyers. He was an AHL all star a year ago when he scored 69 points in 73 games with Manchester.
Claude Giroux was once again selected to the NHL All-Star game as he continues to be one of the league's most dynamic players. Shayne Gostisbehere is taking the league by storm since his recall from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Flyers AHL affiliate. The rookie defenseman has 7 goals and 9 assists for 16 points in just 22 games, with 3 overtime game winners.
The Wild may be without captain Mikko Koivu due to the injury he suffered in Columbus on Tuesday, which required a precautionary trip to the hospital. He was later released and traveled home with the team. Devan Dubnyk is expected once again in the Wild net. The team will play four of the next five at home before heading out on another four game road later this month.
The Wild need to make the most of their home cooking to keep the momentum going. The schedule is about to become more heavily weighted with road tilts after this five game stretch.
Let's Play Hockey!