The Wild are set to host the Boston Bruins before the holiday break. Here's everything you need to know before puck drop.
ST. PAUL - The Minnesota Wild (14-13-4) are set to face the Boston Bruins (19-6-6) tonight on home ice before the holiday break.
Wild captain Jared Spurgeon was on the ice this morning but will not play against the Bruins tonight. Still encouraging to know Spurgeon is tracking in the right direction and could be ready next week.
But both Mats Zuccarello and Ryan Hartman were not on the ice meaning they will be out for the second straight game.
Last game the Wild went with seven defensemen and 11 forwards instead of the usual 12 forwards and seven defensemen. Tonight they will go with 12 forwards which allows Jake Lucchini to slide in and make his Wild debut.
The Bruins are one of the best teams in the league but have been slipping as of late. They lost to the Jets in Winnipeg last night and have lost three straight games, including one against the Wild already.
The last time the Bruins lost four straight games was during the 2019-20 season from December 7th, 2019 - December 12th, 2019. Since December 12th, 2019 the Bruins have gone 192-68-29 and have the most wins, points, and highest points percentage in the NHL in that span.
Wild Projected Lines
Kaprizov - Eriksson Ek - Boldy
Foligno - Rossi - Lucchini
Johansson - Gaudreau - Maroon
Duhaime - Dewar - Lettieri
Defense pairs:
Middleton - Faber
Goligoski - Bogosian
Merrill - Mermis
Starting Goaltender: Fleury
Bruins Projected Lineup
Danton Heinen - Pavel Zacha - David Pastrnak
Brad Marchand - Charlie Coyle - Jake DeBrusk
James van Riemsdyk - Morgan Geekie - Trent Frederic
Jakub Lauko - John Beecher - Oskar Steen
Defense pairs:
Mason Lohrei - Brandon Carlo
Hampus Lindholm - Charlie McAvoy
Parker Wotherspoon - Ian Mitchell
Starting Goaltender: Linus Ullmark