Rookie sensation Wallstedt faces veteran Anderson. Can the Wild's hot goalie extend his shutout streak against the Hurricanes?
ST. PAUL, Minn - The Minnesota Wild (9-7-4) host the Carolina Hurricanes (13-5-1) tonight for a late 8:30 p.m. game on national TV. Here are tonight's starting goaltenders.
The Wild will turn back to rookie goaltender Jesper Wallstedt tonight. He is 4-0-2 on the year with a 2.10 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage with two shutouts.
Wallstedt, 23, carries a shutout streak of 141:09 into tonights game. He s the only NHL goaltender with multiple shutouts this season and has not lost in regulation this season (4-0-2), marking the longest season-opening point streak by a rookie in franchise history.
Among NHL goaltenders with six-plus games played, ranks second in goals-against average and third in save percentage. The young goaltender has not played the Hurricanes in his career. Filip Gustavsson started the last game against Carolina and stopped 23-of-27 shots faced in the 4-3 loss.
Wallstedt, with three career shutouts, joins Josh Harding (3) as the only Wild goaltenders to earn three or more shutouts as a rookie in franchise history.
Frederik Andersen is expected to start tonight for the Hurricanes. He saved 21-of-24 shots faced to earn the victory for Carolina earlier this season against the Wild.
The veteran goaltender is 5-4-1 on the year with a 3.10 goals-against average and a .886 save percentage in ten starts. He is 313-139-54 in his NHL career with a 2.57 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage. Andersen is 13 years older than Wallstedt.
Andersen, 36, is 8-6-0 with a 2.47 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage in 14 career starts against Minnesota.
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