Wild Game Day number 5
Wild Record (1-1-2 4 pts)
Road Record (0-1-0)

Opponent: Nashville Predators (4-1-0 8 pts)
Home Record (2-1-0)

Site: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN

Time: 7:00PM CT

TV: Fox Sports North (FSN)

Last season results:
11/16 Predators 4 @ Wild 6
12/29 Predators 2 @ Wild 4
12/30 Wild 0 @ Predators 3
3/24 Predators 1 @ Wild 4
3/27 Wild 1 @ Predators 2(SO)

If the Wild thought Saturday was a challenge as they were beaten up and down the ice by Carolina at home, just wait until tonight when they face arguably the best team in the Western Conference in Nashville tonight.

Last season the Wild were 3-1-1 in the season with the Predators, but were only able to manage one goal in the two games played at Bridgestone.

That was last season, and if the early returns on this season are an any indication of what is in store for Wild fans tonight could be a real struggle.

It has been rough sledding for Bruce Boudreau's boys, through the first four games, and quite frankly, they are fortunate to have the .500 record they are taking into tonight's tilt.

If not for the all world performances in the Wild net, by Devan Dubnyk, the Wild could very easily be 0-4 at this point.

The fact that they have been able to steal points says a lot about the character of the team, but that does not discount the fact that they have been badly outplayed throughout most of the four contests already in the books.

Tonight will be the first back to back of the season, and with that we will see ALex Stalock make his first appearance of the season, giving Dubnyk his former team the Coyotes tomorrow.

The lineup for the Wild will remain the same as Saturday night for the Wild with Joel Eriksson Ek still sidelined with a lower body injury. Eric Fehr will center the third line between Nino Niederreiter and Charlie Coyle in JEE's place.

The challenge will once again how to match the speed of tonight's opponent, the Predators, a task the Wild have not been able to do in either of the four games played to date.

Boudreau will face the challenge of getting the most out of an aging group. The road of course, makes that all the more difficult, without the luxury of last change.

Now not all of the Wild woes can be pinned on the lack of foot speed, as the team has been atrocious with their passing as a whole which magnifies their lack of speed. If they can make the quick short passes and move the puck quickly they have a chance.

Tonights Wild Lines:
Zucker Staal Greenway
Parise Koivu Granlund
Niederreiter Fehr Coyle
Foligno Hendricks Brown

Suter Dumba
Brodin Spurgeon
Seeler Pateryn

Stalock
Dubnyk

The Wild defense must be active to force the Predators to stay honest, as the Wild have a very mobile defense with the ability to change the complexion of the game from the back end.

It's always Hockey Day in The State of Hockey!

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