The Minnesota Wild wrap up their road trip and three-game stretch again Central Division teams with a stop in Winnipeg, looking for a rebound after giving up six goals to the division leader on Saturday.
The Wild (11-9-3) are already 0-2 against the Jets (14-6-3) this season with a pair of one-goal losses, 4-3 and 2-1. Winnipeg holds a 7-2-1 record at home this season and has won six of its last eight games overall. The Wild have points in seven of their last nine games with a 6-2-1 record since Nov. 9, but they’re 5-6-1 on the road this season.
Alex Stalock will get another start in goal; he’s 2-2-1 with a 2.41 GAA this season. Stalock is 3-1-0 with a 0.99 GAA and .955 save percentage, plus two shutouts, in six games/four starts in his career against the Jets. Devan Dubnyk allowed six goals in the loss to St. Louis over the weekend. For the Jets, Connor Hellebuyck is 12-2-2 in 16 starts with a .929 save percentage this season.
The Wild also called up defenseman Ryan Murphy from Iowa on Monday after Jared Spurgeon left the morning skate with an illness. Spurgeon will likely be a game-time decision, with Murphy called up as back-up in case he sits. The 24-year-old Murphy has one goal and 11 assists in 18 games with Iowa this season. He had two assists in 27 games with the Carolina Hurricanes last season. He would make his Wild debut if he plays against Winnipeg.
The Wild leads the NHL with five short-handed goals but also gave up three goals to the Blues power play last time out. The Wild’s power play is still on fire with 10 tallies over a six-game streak (10 for 21). Their power play ranks fourth in the league overall (18 for 73) and third on the road (10 for 36). The Jets have a fifth-best home power play and sixth-best overall.
Eric Staal leads the team with 62 points in 70 games against the Jets; he also leads the Wild this season with 21 points (8-13—21). Mikko Koivu, who doesn’t have a goal in the past 14 games, has 22 points in his career against Winnipeg. Mikael Granlund and Nino Niederreiter will look to start new points streaks after theirs ended against the Blues. Niederreiter has nine goals in November, tied for second in the NHL.
Roseau native and Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien has 10 assists this season and still searching for his first goal of the year. Former University of Minnesota Gopher Blake Wheeler and center Mark Scheifele lead the Jets with 25 points each.
Injury list:
- Zach Parise (microdiscectomy surgery), 23 games
Total man games lost: 58
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