Today, the Minnesota Wild will celebrate a significant milestone for their captain, Jared Spurgeon, as he suits up for his 1,000th NHL game. This special occasion precedes a crucial Central Division clash against the Dallas Stars, airing at 3:00 p.m. on FanDuel Sports Network and KFAN FM 100.3.
With Minnesota sitting at 90 points and Dallas at 96, the stakes are high as both teams vie for positioning in the division. Dallas is also in the hunt for the top spot, trailing Colorado, who leads with 100 points.
This matchup marks the third of four encounters between these two teams this season, with each team having secured a 5-2 victory in their previous meetings. The Wild are eager to break a three-game home losing streak, but they'll have to do so without key players Joel Eriksson Ek and Kirill Kaprizov, both sidelined with lower-body injuries.
In goal for Minnesota will be Filip Gustavsson, who has been impressive with an 8-2-0 record since January 29, boasting a 2.19 GAA and a .920 save percentage, including one shutout. His record against Dallas is strong, with a 6-4-0 standing, a 2.01 GAA, and a .934 save percentage.
On the other side, Jake Oettinger is expected to start for Dallas. The Lakeville native has been in fine form, holding a 29-10-5 record this season with a 2.58 GAA and a .902 save percentage, alongside two shutouts.
Oettinger has been particularly resilient, earning points in 13 consecutive starts with a 12-0-1 record. However, Minnesota managed to challenge him back on December 11, scoring five goals against him.
Special teams could play a pivotal role today. Dallas has been perfect on the power play in the first two games against Minnesota, while the Wild have converted two of their seven opportunities.
Since February 26, Minnesota's penalty kill has been outstanding, allowing just three goals on 32 chances (90.6% PK). Maintaining this defensive prowess will be crucial if they hope to secure a victory today.