Tonight's Wild game against the Nashville Predators could be season defining.
ST. PAUL - The Wild host the Nashville Predators tonight in what is more than just a regular season game. It's more than just one game out of the 82-game schedule, it's essentially a playoff game.
Every time these two teams meet it's a hard and physical game and usually feels like a playoff game. Tonight it basically is a playoff game.
"The Predators can get you in transition, they have time and possession in their own zone, they’re gonna stretch guys and blow guys out and try to put you under duress in those situations," Wild head coach John Hynes said on his former team. "It seems as though in the offensive zone they try to get in on the forecheck. They got lots of competitive players and they like to get pucks to the slot. You don’t want to give their power play a lot of opportunities. It’s a dangerous group. Obviously, O’Reilly’s line’s been a driver for them. The three of those guys are playing really well. They’re a good team and going to be a challenge for us."
The Wild are currently four points behind the Nashville Predators, who hold onto the last wild card spot in the west. After tonight's game, the Wild could be just two points out of a playoff spot or six points back.
A major swing that could end up being season-defining.
“So, a really big, important game. We know what’s at stake," Marcus Foligno said. "We’ve got to put ourselves back in position where we come back from the break refreshed and there’s no excuses — we’ve put ourselves in a good spot, three, four points back, and we can go. So, that’s the focus going into the break.”
There are still 34 games left in the season after tonight so the season is far from over but tonight's game against the Predators seems a lot more valuable than most of the Wild's games, strictly based on the standings. If the Wild don't show up tonight, they might kiss their playoff chances away.