Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury expected to start in Game 1 Monday night vs. St. Louis

The Wild traded for goalie Marc-Andre Fleury at the NHL Trade Deadline in March for a reason. That reason is here with Monday night’s Game 1 vs. St. Louis in St. Paul. Fleury was in the starter’s net for skate-around Monday morning. Post-practice, head coach Dean Evason evaded confirming that Fleury is his starter, but also didn’t deny. Fleury has 90 career playoff wins, and has won three Stanley Cups.

On the injury front, the Wild will have all players available. That means that Marcus Foligno and Mats Zuccarello are in. Both skated Monday morning.

For the Blues, defenseman and former Wild player Marco Scandella is out.

***Click the video box above to watch coach Dean Evason, and players Jake Middleton, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Matt Boldy meet the media after Monday morning’s skate***

Home-ice advantage could prove the difference in a series that was essentially set a month ago.

The Wild set a franchise record with 53 wins and 113 points, while finishing third in the NHL with a 31-8-2 home record. The Blues, who closed their season on a 14-2-2 run, won 23 road games ranked tied for ninth in the NHL.

St. Louis has had the edge over Minnesota by going 12-1-1 in its last 14 meetings, including a 6-4 win at Target Field in this year’s Winter Classic. Seven of those wins, however, were decided by one goal, including five in overtime.

“You get overtime, it can kind of go either way,” Wild defenseman Matt Dumba said. “Yeah we got some things to go over, and we’ll be more than ready.”

The Blues’ feature a lineup that includes an NHL-leading nine 20-goal-scorers.

The Associated Press contributed to this story