Wild Game Day number 17 Wild Record (10-3-3 23 pts) Road Record (3-2-3)
Opponent: Pittsburgh Penquins (10-7-0 20 pts) Home Record (5-3-0)
Site: Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Time: 6:30PM CT
TV: NBCSN Sports Network (NBCSN)
Last Season Results: 11/4 Penquins 4 @ Wild 1 1/13 Wild 2 @ Penquins 7
The Penguins are coming off back to back losses and are struggling to score goals, finding the back of the net just once in those 2 losses. They are still the Penguins though with high end scoring talent Sidney Crosby and Evgeny Malkin. They have added Phil Kessel to the arsenal this year and so far it hasn't been all that they had expected. That said they have shown signs of putting it together. Marc Andre Fleury has been fantastic this season and the overall team defense has been very good.
Last season the Penguins won both match-ups with the Wild in convincing fashion. The second meeting a 7-2 defeat in Pittsburgh was the official bottoming out of the Wild, which prompted the acquisition of Devan Dubnyk. No one can argue that the Wild completely did an about face and this is an entirely different team with the calm cool collected Dubnyk anchoring them.
The Wild are coming off a very strong divisional contest in Dallas, a 3-2 OT loss, and are riding a 3-0-1 record without their on ice leader Zach Parise. The good news is Zach is skating again but no time table as of yet for his return.
Look for Dubnyk to again be between the pipes and Fleury at the other end. Either way this should be a low scoring battle. Brett Bulmer is expected in the lineup and will be on the fourth line tonight. The Wild look to keep the train rolling forward. Still looking for a glimpse that Pominville will break out.
Let's Play Hockey!