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New Lines, Koivu Returns, Wild Host Sharks

December 18, 2018, 1:54 PM ET [7 Comments]
Dan Wallace
Minnesota Wild Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Mikko Koivu is set to return to the Wild lineup tonight as the Wild host San Jose. The Sharks took the first meeting 4-3 in San Jose back in early November, after the Wild had taken all three meetings last season.

In Koivu's absence the line of Charlie Coyle, Zach Parise, and Nino Niederreiter has been the Wild's best trio. They will stay together tonight and Jordan Greenway will remain on the top line with Eric Staal and Mikael Granlund.

Koivu will slot in on the third line with Jason Zucker and Luke Kunin. Joel Erkisson Ek will drop to the fourth line with Eric Fehr and Marcus Foligno.

That leaves Matt Hendricks and J.T. Brown to watch from the press box. With the forward group healthy and Kunin getting a longer look, the pressure is firmly applied to both Hendricks and Brown for that 13th forward position.

Nate Prosser will make his third appearance of the season in place of injured Matt Dumba. Jonas Brodin will step into Dumba's place on the PP.

Greg Pateryn is going to move up to pair with Brodin, and Prosser will take the right side on the third pair alongside Nick Seeler.

The Wild are still on the outside looking up at the top eight in the Western Conference and really need to start stringing together wins if they expect to compete for a seventh straight playoff berth.

Saturday's 2-1 loss to Calgary was a good game and really did boil down to the Flames making one more shot count. That was one of those games where you chalk it up to a two teams playing well, one has to lose.

The downside to that is the Wild were in greater need of those two points. That said tonight becomes a more magnified as the Wild can ill afford to drop two in a row at home heading to Pittsburgh for a tough road matchup Thursday night.

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

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