Wild shuffle lineup, carry PK momentum into clash w/ Cup champ Colorado
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The Wild have been far from perfect, but do have a few things they can hang their hats on as they prepare to host defending Stanley Cup Champion Colorado on Wednesday night.
The Wild have earned points in their last two games – a win over New Jersey and a loss to Florida, both ending in shootouts.
Click the video box on this page to watch morning shootaround interviews from Wednesday with Wild players Joel Eriksson Ek, Alex Goligoski and Jared Spurgeon as well as head coach Dean Evason
Monday’s point against Florida came thanks to a 7-for-7 performance on penalty kills, furthering already solid momentum for the Wild’s special teams.
But it’s their ongoing dearth of five-on-five scoring that has them searching for answers.
The Wild only have twelve five-on-five goals the last thirteen games, and five in five games since the All-Star Break that have seen them wind up with three regulation losses, plus the two most recent games that went to shootouts.
Minnesota Wild head coach Dean Evason, center top, checks the scoreboard during an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers in the third period Monday, Feb. 13, 2023, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
Defenseman Calen Addison comes out of the lineup for the Colorado game, swapped out for veteran Alex Goligoski.
Forward Marcus Foligno remains out with a lower-body injury. Dean Evason has describe Foligno’s ailment as not serious, but not one they will rush him back from.
The Wild enter Wednesday night’s game pn 61 points, tied with Colorado for third in the Central Division and seventh in the Western Conference.
Wednesday’s game at the Xcel Energy Center has an unusually late 8:30pm advertised start time to accommodate a national telecast.