Here is everything you need to know before puck drop.
ST. PAUL - The Minnesota Wild (22-11-4) are back in action tonight as they host the Nashville Predators (11-19-7) for one final game of the 2024 Year.
The Wild are coming off a stinker of a loss to the Ottawa Senators on Sunday. The Predators are also coming off a loss. They were shutout 3-0 by the Winnipeg Jets last night.
Juuse Saros started that game so it is expected that Justus Annunen will start for the Predators against the Wild tonight. But, the last time these two teams played, Saros started on a back-to-back and played great.
Annunen has made one start against the Wild in his career and it came as a member of the Colorado Avalanche. He stopped 44 out of the 46 shots he faced in the win. That game was in Minnesota on April 4, 2024. The Avs won 5-2.
Filip Gustavsson will make his fourth straight start. He stopped 25 out of the 27 shots he faced in late November against the Predators in the Wild's 3-2 overtime win.
Kirill Kaprizov was not on the ice this morning and will not play for the Wild. There is no timetable for his return and the Wild are not sure if he will join the team on the road.
The Predators have dropped their last two games and are 4-5-1 in their last ten games. Tonight marks the second time these two teams will meet this year. Minnesota will travel to Nashville in January to meet one final time this year.
Here are tonight's projected lines (subject to change).
Wild's Projected Lines
Matt Boldy - Marco Rossi - Mats Zuccarello
Marcus Johansson - Joel Eriksson Ek - Ryan Hartman
Marcus Foligno - Freddy Gaudreau - Yakov Trenin
Devin Shore - Marat Khusnutdinov - Ben Jones
Defense:
Jonas Brodin - Brock Faber
Declan Chisholm - Jared Spurgeon
Jon Merrill - Zach Bogosian
Starting Goaltender: Filip Gustavsson
Scratched: Travis Dermott
Injured: Kirill Kaprizov (lower), Jakub Lauko (lower), Jake Middleton (upper).
Predators Projected Lines
Filip Forsberg - Steven Stamkos - Jonathan Marchessault
Vinnie Hinostroza - Ryan O'Reilly - Gustav Nyquist
Mark Jankowski - Tommy Novak - Luke Evangelista
Zach L'Heureux - Michael McCarron - Colton Sissons
Defense:
Roman Josi - Luke Schenn
Brady Skjei - Nick Blankenburg
Jeremy Lauzon - Justin Barron
Starting Goaltender: Justus Annunen
Scratched: None
Injured: Cole Smith (lower), Adam Wilsby (upper)
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on Fanduel Sports Network North. Anthony LaPanta will be on the play-by-play with Wes Walz as the color analyst and Kevin Gorg a reporter. The radio broadcast will be on KFAN FM 100.3 with Joe O'Donnell behind the mic doing the play-by-play. Tom Reid as the color analyst and Kevin Falness as the Studio Host.
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