Wild Game Day number 34 Wild Record (18-10-6 42 pts) Home Record (13-5-1)
Opponent: Detroit Red Wings (18-10-7 43 pts) Road Record (7-3-3)
Site: Xcel Energy Center, St Paul, Minnesota
Time: 7:00PM CT
TV: Fox Sports North (FSN)
Last Season Results: 1/20 Wild 4 @ Red Wings 5 (SO) 4/4 Red Wings 3 @ Wild 2 (SO)
Tonight the Red Wings are in town, coming off their 3-2 win over the Predators in Nashville on Saturday night. The Red Wings won both meetings a year ago with both games ending by way of the shootout. The fact that Detroit is now in the Eastern Conference only means these teams meet less during the regular season. It does not detract from the rivalry they built as Central Division foes.
The Wings have been the model organization over the past quarter century having qualified for the playoffs 24 straight seasons, winning 4 Cups in 6 Stanley Cup Final appearances over that stretch. The big news this season is new head coach Jeff Blashill taking over for the departed Mike Babcock. Blashill is very familiar with the Red Wing players as he coached most of them with the Red Wings AHL affiliate the Grand Rapids Griffins. He has the team playing at the same high level we have grown accustomed to seeing from the Wings, and they are well prepared every night.
The Wild look to return to their pre-Christmas week form tonight in front of the home crowd. They have been very inconsistent in their effort over the last 4 games (1-3-0) giving up 13 goals in those games, after yielding just 9 goals over their previous 8 games.
Both Zach Parise and Devan Dubnyk left practice with minor injuries yesterday but neither is expected to keep them out of the lineup. Darcy Kuemper may get the start in goal tonight, but if he does it is more due to his recent strong play, rather than the injury Dubnyk suffered which was a cut to his arm that required six stitches to repair. Most likely Justin Fontaine will be the odd man out of the lineup tonight as long as Parise is good to go.
The Wild are stumbling of late and with their history of December swoons they need to pick it up against a very tough opponent. The Wild need to get a more consistent effort from the special teams and the balanced attack that makes them the tough team to play night in and night out. The time is now to set the tone for the second half of the season.
Let's Play Hockey!