Preview: Wild at Bruins

WILD (3-2-1) at BRUINS (3-2-0)
7 p.m. ET; NESN, FS-N, FS-WI, NHL.TV

Wild team scope

Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon (upper body) skated Tuesday but won't play though he could return against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday. "He skated a little bit yesterday," coach Bruce Boudreau told the Pioneer Press. "He skated today. He will probably feel better when he skates tomorrow. Hopefully we get him back by Thursday." The Wild are likely to keep the same lines from their 6-3 loss to the New York Islanders on Sunday, with Mikko Koivu centering Zach Parise and Mikael Granlund, and Eric Staal between Nino Niederreiter and Charlie Coyle. Parise scored twice, including his 300th NHL goal, and had 10 shots as part of his new line. "They have to be great again [Tuesday]," Boudreau said Monday. "It can't be a one-and-done thing." Niederreiter also scored against the Islanders and Boudreau wants the Staal line to use its size to its advantage. "It's a very big line," Boudreau said. "I'm hoping it's a domination-below-the-circles type of line."

Bruins team scope

Goalie Malcolm Subban will start for the Boston Bruins with Tuukka Rask (undisclosed) day to day and Anton Khudobin (upper body) out approximately three weeks. Subban, 22, has had a rough start with Providence of the American Hockey League. (0-3-1, 4.50 goals-against average, .846 save percentage). "I can't control any of that stuff," coach Claude Julien said after morning skate at Warrior Ice Arena. "I just want him to go in tonight, play a real solid game because we know he can. He's a good goaltender. Just because he had a bit of a rough outing doesn't mean he has to have one tonight. This is an opportunity for him to play well and to demonstrate that he's ready to play in the NHL and that's all he's got to do." Subban has made one other NHL start, when he allowed three goals on six shots in 31 minutes of a 5-1 road loss to the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 20, 2015. "I think just not overthinking it," Subban said. "I think just play my game, be relaxed in net is the biggest thing for me. If I can do that, I'll have a really good game." The Bruins will also be without center David Backes because of an undisclosed injury. He has two goals and two assists in five games.

Wild projected lineup

Zach Parise -- Mikko Koivu -- Mikael Granlund
Nino Niederreiter -- Eric Staal -- Charlie Coyle
Teemu Pulkkinen -- Joel Eriksson Ek -- Jason Pominville
Jason Zucker -- Zac Dalpe -- Chris Stewart
Ryan Suter -- Matt Dumba
Christian Folin -- Jonas Brodin
Marco Scandella -- Nate Prosser
Devan Dubnyk
Darcy Kuemper
Scratched:None
Injured:Erik Haula (lower body), Jared Spurgeon (upper body)

Bruins projected lineup

Brad Marchand -- Patrice Bergeron -- David Pastrnak
Matt Beleskey -- David Krejci -- Danton Heinen
Dominic Moore -- Ryan Spooner -- Jimmy Hayes
Tim Schaller -- Riley Nash -- Noel Acciari
Zdeno Chara -- Brandon Carlo
Torey Krug -- Adam McQuaid
John-Michael Liles -- Colin Miller
Malcolm Subban
Zane McIntyre
Scratched:Joe Morrow
Injured:David Backes (undisclosed), Kevan Miller (hand surgery), Tuukka Rask (undisclosed), Anton Khudobin (upper body)

Status report

Haula didn't skate but there's a chance he could also return Thursday. "He wants to skate tomorrow," Boudreau said. "So depending on how it feels and how it goes, it'll be a game-time decision."... Julien said Backes is day to day with a minor issue.... McQuaid will make his season debut after missing the first five games with an upper-body injury. ... The Bruins assigned rookie defenseman Rob O'Gara to Providence. O'Gara had no points in three games.

Who's hot

The Wild penalty kill is 17-for-18 to start the season, third in the League. ... Marchand had a four-game point streak before he went scoreless against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. He has three goals and six assists on the season.