The Minnesota Wild will go for wins on back-to-back days after they host the Nashville Predators on Saturday in St. Paul, Minn.
Minnesota is coming off a 3-2 win on dwelling ice in opposition to the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday. Captain Jared Spurgeon scored twice and Marco Rossi scored as soon as for Minnesota, which received its second sport in a row.
Now, the Wild have an opportunity to extend their successful streak to a few video games.
“Straight traces and easy hockey, that works for us,” Spurgeon mentioned.
Nashville will attempt to complicate the Wild’s three-game homestand.
The Predators additionally will play on quick relaxation after dropping 3-2 in extra time at dwelling in opposition to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday. Captain Roman Josi scored each objectives for Nashville, which earned one level however has misplaced two video games in a row in extra time.
Nashville coach Andrew Brunette mentioned he was in search of a spark on offense.
“No one’s actually feeling it,” Brunette mentioned. “If you happen to lookup and down our roster, we’re having a tough time scoring.
“So, no one’s actually feeling nice about their sport. And often when you do not be ok with your sport, these type of issues occur. So, we have now to attempt to discover a option to really feel a bit of higher about our sport.”
Spurgeon has helped the Wild to be ok with their efficiency within the first few months of the season. He underwent hip and again surgical procedures final season and missed six video games in October as he continued to get better, however he has supplied management and manufacturing since returning to the ice.
“Simply having him round, having his management presence, it is a night-and-day totally different really feel as a gaggle of men,” Wild defenseman Brock Faber mentioned. “Clearly, he is the chief of that. His off-ice traits and on-ice (contributions) are simply serving to us an entire lot.”
Nashville may flip to Scott Wedgewood in web if it decides in opposition to enjoying Juuse Saros on back-to-back days. Saros made 25 saves on 28 photographs Friday.
Wedgewood is 1-2-1 with a 3.69 goals-against common and an .878 save proportion in 5 video games (4 begins) this season. He wants yet another victory to succeed in 50 wins in his profession.
This may be Wedgewood’s sixth profession sport in opposition to Minnesota. In his first 5 matchups, he’s 1-1-2 with a 2.94 GAA and a .900 save proportion.
The Wild probably will counter with Filip Gustavsson in web. He watched from the bench on Saturday as Marc-Andre Fleury began and made 20 saves on 22 photographs.
Gustavsson is 10-4-3 with a 2.06 GAA and a .929 save proportion in 17 begins this season. He boasts a 62-44-17 profession report with a 2.63 GAA and a .914 save proportion.
In 5 profession video games in opposition to Nashville, Gustavsson is 2-2-1 with a 3.39 GAA and an .882 save proportion.
Josi mentioned he and his Predators teammates would attempt to break by means of in opposition to the Wild. Nashville has been outscored 11-6 over its previous three video games.
“It is laborious to win on this league while you rating two objectives a sport, and we’re engaged on it,” Josi mentioned. “We’re looking for it. I feel we have a ton of expertise in right here that may put the puck within the web. …
“The one factor we will do is press down and maintain engaged on it and maintain making an attempt. Maintain going to the web, maintain capturing the puck.”
–Area Stage Media
