Get ready for a thrilling showdown! Analyze projected lineups and key matchups as the Wild clash with the Stars in this essential game preview.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild (39-19-12) is back in action today against the Dallas Stars (43-15-10) for a big Central Division showdown.
The Wild will be without its top superstar and most irreplaceable player, but today will be all about the captain, Jared Spurgeon, as he will be honored before the puck drop for playing in 1,000 NHL games.
The Stars are 8-1-1 in their last ten games and are 15-1-1 since Jan. 23. Their only two losses in that span are Utah and Colorado.
Minnesota, on the other hand, is 4-4-2 in its last ten games and have lost four consective at home.
Here are today's projected lines.
Wild Projected Lineup
Marcus Johansson - Danila Yurov -Matt Boldy
Vladimir Tarasenko - Ryan Hartman - Mats Zuccarello
Nick Foligno - Michael McCarron - Bobby Brink
Nico Sturm - Hunter Haight - Yakov Trenin
Defense:
Quinn Hughes - Jared Spurgeon
Jonas Brodin - Brock Faber
Jake Middleton - Zach Bogosian
Starting Goaltender: Filip Gustavsson
Scratched: Daemon Hunt, Jeff Petry, Robby Fabbri
Injured: Marcus Foligno (lower-body), Joel Eriksson Ek (lower-body).
Stars Projected Lineup
Jason Robertson - Wyatt Johnston - Mavrik Bourque
Sam Steel - Matt Duchene - Jamie Benn
Michael Bunting - Justin Hryckowian - Colin Blackwell
Oskar Back - Nathan Bastian - Adam Erne
Defense:
Esa Lindell - Miro Heiskanen
Thomas Harley - Nils Lundkvist
Lian Bichsel - Tyler Myers
Starting Goaltender: Jake Oettinger
Scratched: Arttu Hyry, Alexander Petrovic, Kyle Capobianco, Ilya Lyubushkin.
Injured: Radek Faksa (lower-body), Roope Hintz (lower-body), Mikko Rantanen (lower-body), Tyler Seguin (lower-body).
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