A pivotal showdown looms as star netminders face off. Who will steal the spotlight and lead their team to victory?
With the playoffs looming, the Minnesota Wild (45-23-12) will sit out some key stars tonight on the road against the St. Louis Blues (34-33-12).
Minnesota sat out a few key guys in its last game against the Nashville Predators and will do the same tonight.
The Wild will rest Kirill Kaprizov, Ryan Hartman, Mats Zuccarello, Quinn Hughes, Brock Faber, Joel Eriksson Ek, Matt Boldy and Marcus Foligno.
Tonight will be Filip Gustavsson's net.
Gustavsson is 28-14-6 on the season with a 2.64 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage in 49 games this year.
He is 2-3-0 in his last five games and has allowed four or more goals in four of the five games. But Gustavsson is 1-1-0 with a 1.01 goals-against average, .959 save percentage and one shutout in two games against the Blues this season.
Gustavsson, 27, is 5-3-0 with a 2.29 goals-against average, a .918 save percentage and one shutout in nine career starts vs. the Blues.
The youngster Joel Hofer will be in between the pipes tonight for the Blues. He is 22-13-5 on the year with a 2.59 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage with six shutouts.
Hofer, 25, saved 22-of-23 shots faced to earn the win in the second matchup between the Wild and the Blues this year. He is 2-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average and a .951 save percentage in two starts against the Wild in his career.
This will be a big start for Gustavsson heading into the playoffs. The Wild have two games left before they open round one in Dallas. Minnesota plays tomorrow, so tonight will likely be Gustavsson's last start and he needs to have a good one or it make might John Hynes' decision easy come playoffs who starts.
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