|
Fast And Furious Second Half Begins Tonight In Winnipeg |
|
|
|
|
|
Tonight the Wild officially open the second half of the regular season when they visit the Jets in Winnipeg. The team's have met twice this season with the Wild prevailing in each of those prior matchups, with both coming in St. Paul.
A lot had happened between the last meeting back on Black Friday where the Wild smoked the Jets to the tune of 7-1. Jets, then head coach, Paul Maurice, resigned a few weeks after later citing the Jets needed a new voice. Dave Lowry stepped into the interim head coach responsibilities and things have not gone much differently for the Jets since then. Their 5-7-2 record since the coaching change leaves the Jets sitting sixth in the Central Division and 13th in the Western Conference, nine points out of the final playoff position.
The news did not get any brighter for Winnipeg as Neil Pionk, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Austin Poganski have been placed in Covid-19 protocol.
The Wild injury news is a bit better as Marcus Foligno is expected back in the lineup and will join his fellow GREEF linemates, Joel Eriksson Ek and Jordan Greenway. Brandon Duhaime had filled in for the injured Foligno quite admirably and now will take his normal role with Nico Sturm and Connor Dewar giving the Wild fourth line some extra juice.
The Wild top two lines remain the same and both are rolling offensively leading the Wild onntheir most recent 10 game unbeaten streak 9-0-1. Kevin Fiala brings his team record tying 12 game (9G, 7A) point streak into tonight's game and Kirill Kaprizov enters tonight's tilt with an eight game streak (5G, 8A). Mats Zuccarello had his personal streak snapped but still has six goals and 20 points in the last 12 Wild games.
Kaapo Kahkonen will get the start for the Wild after Cam Talbot banked the Blackhawks and then had a tremendous performance at the All-Star game over the weekend.
It is going to be a fast and furious second half of the season for the Wild who will get three days off after tonight but will not have that luxury the rest of the way moving forward. They will only experience consecutive off days four more times the remainder of the season, as they will play 41 games over the next 81 days.
The points bank the Wild compiled over the first 41 games will be key as the stakes get raised and every game becomes more critical to the standings. The three point games also become more of a factor for teams on the outside looking in as well.
The Wild believe they are as good as anyone in this league and they know they must continue to show it on the ice with their play.
It's always Hockey Day in The State of Hockey!
Minnesota Wild Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»