The Anaheim Ducks (4-8-1, 9 points) will continue the search for their first regulation win this season tonight against the Minnesota Wild (5-6-1, 11 points). The Wild will be playing their second game in as many days after being shut out by Jonathan Quick and the Los Angeles Kings last night.
The Ducks have had a few days of rest since having a back-to-back of their own, defeating the San Jose Sharks in a shootout on Saturday before falling to the Florida Panthers on Sunday. After a difficult start to the season that included a seven-game pointless streak, Anaheim has won three of their last five contests. The issue comes with sustainability, as each of Anaheim’s wins this season has required overtime. In addition, three of these wins have required multi-goal comebacks in the third period.
Anaheim Ducks Projected Lineup
- Adam Henrique will be out of the lineup tonight with a newborn on the way. If Derek Grant (upper body) isn’t healthy enough to return to the lineup, the Ducks will likely roll out an 11-forward and seven-defensemen lineup for the third time this season.
Related: Ducks News & Rumors: Drysdale, Carrick & More
Forwards
Max Comtois – Trevor Zegras – Troy Terry
Frank Vatrano – Ryan Strome – Mason McTavish
Jakob Silfverberg – Isac Lundestrom – Brett Leason
Max Jones – Derek Grant – Glenn Gawdin
Defense
Dmitry Kulikov – John Klingberg
Simon Benoit – Cam Fowler
Nathan Beaulieu – Kevin Shattenkirk
Goaltenders
John Gibson – Anthony Stolarz
Scouting the Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild spent several seasons stuck as a consistent bubble team for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but have taken the steps to build a true contender. The conversation starts with Kirill Kaprizov, perhaps the most exciting player to have ever been in the franchise. Now in his third season in the NHL, Kaprizov is one of the league’s top-scoring threats and will likely be a frequent Hart Trophy candidate for years to come. The Wild also have several prospects in their first full seasons in the NHL, like Marco Rossi and Matt Boldy, who look to be regular contributors to the scoresheet.
The Wild haven’t had the strongest start to the season, with their 5-6-1 record putting them sixth in the Central Division. Depth scoring is an issue, as their 2.83 goals per game ranks 24th in the NHL. Despite the presence of Marc-André Fleury, Minnesota’s save percentage ranks 26th in the league.
Minnesota Wild Projected Lineup
- The big news from last night’s game against the Kings was that Kaprizov was given a match penalty for hitting Drew Doughty in the face with his stick. He was fined $5,000 for his actions, but it appears that he avoided any sort of suspension for tonight’s game.
Forwards
Jordan Greenway – Joel Eriksson Ek – Matt Boldy
Kirill Kaprizov – Frederick Gaudreau – Mats Zuccarello
Mason Shaw – Marco Rossi – Connor Dewar
Joseph Cramarossa – Sam Steel – Tyson Jost
Defense
Matt Dumba – Jonas Brodin
Jared Spurgeon – Jacob Middleton
Calen Addison – Jon Merrill
Goaltenders
Filip Gustavsson – Marc-André Fleury
Players to Watch
Anaheim Ducks: Mason McTavish
Mason McTavish made his debut at center several games ago but was recently switched back to wing for the game against the Panthers. McTavish’s usage to start the season has been frustrating. He’s playing out of position, usually with bottom-six linemates, and featured in limited minutes. Regardless of the hurdles, McTavish is tied for fourth in rookie scoring. With Henrique out and Grant possibly still on the mend, this would be a fine game to put him in as the second-line center.
Minnesota Wild: Calen Addison
Calen Addison has made the jump from prospect to the NHL and has not disappointed. The offensive-minded defenseman has been a solid producer for the Wild so far this season, with seven assists in 12 games. He will likely slot into the third defensive pairing, but he is the lone defenseman on the Wild power play converting at a top-10 rate so far this season.
Statistics courtesy of Hockey Reference