Game Preview: Wild at Kings

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The Minnesota Wild will face off against the Kings for the second time this road trip, facing the team yet again after a 5-4 shootout loss on Saturday night.

Info for Tonight's Game:

• When: Monday, January 5th at 9:30 p.m. CT
• Where: Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles, California)
• Watch: FanDuel Sports North
• Listen: KFAN
• Gamecenter: Wild at Kings

Wild Record: 25-10-8

Kings Record: 17-14-9

2025-26 Series Record: 1-0-1

All-Time Wild Record: 44-30-16 (19-18-8 at Los Angeles)

Last Time Out

This Season on Wild vs. Kings

Minnesota won the series-opening game, 4-3, in a shootout victory at Grand Casino Arena (10/13) before Los Angeles took the second meeting, 5-4, in a shootout at Crypto.com Arena (1/3).

LW Matt Boldy (2-0=2), C Joel Eriksson Ek (1-1=2), D Brock Faber (1-1=2), LW Kirill Kaprizov (1- 1=2) and RW Vladimir Tarasenko each own two points in the series. G Jesper Wallstedt is 1-0-1 with a 3.25 GAA and .917 SV% in starting both games.

RW Quinton Byfield leads the Kings with four points (2-2=4). RW Adrian Kempe has three points (2-1=3). G Darcy Kuemper is 1-0-1 with a 3.30 GAA and 870 SV% in two games against Minnesota this season.

Wild Leaders Against Kings

• Tarasenko leads Minnesota with 29 points (12-17=29) in 32 career games vs. Los Angeles
• RW Mats Zuccarello has 20 points (6-14=20) in 32 career contests
• Kaprizov (11-8=19 in 21 games) and D Quinn Hughes (3-16=19 in 20 games) own 19 points each

Kings Leaders Against Wild

• C Anze Kopitar leads Los Angeles with 61 points (17-44=61) in 70 career games vs. Minnesota
• RW Corey Perry has 46 points (25-21=46) in 58 games
• D Drew Doughty owns 39 points (7-32=39) in 58 contests
• Kempe has 22 points (10-12=22) in 31 games

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On the Mend

Daemon Hunt: lower body (nine games missed)

Full Injury Report

Connections

• Minnesota Goaltending Coach Frederic Chabot went 3-3-2 with a 3.14 GAA and a .891 SV% in 12 games (nine starts) with the Kings in 1997-98
• D Jake Middleton was selected by the Kings in the seventh round (210th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft
• D Brock Faber was drafted by the Kings in the second round (45th overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft
• Fiala played three seasons (2019-22) with Minnesota, appearing in 215 games and tallying 186 points (79-107=186)
• Kuemper was selected by the Wild in the sixth round (161st overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft and went 41-34-14 with a 2.60 GAA, a .910 SV% and seven shutouts in 102 games (82 starts) in five seasons with Minnesota (2012-17)
• D Mikey Anderson hails from Fridley and skated one season at Hill-Murray (2013-14) and two seasons at the University of Minnesota Duluth (2017-19)

Fast Facts

• The Wild is 14-4-1 in the last 19 contests played against the Kings in Saint Paul since 3/28/15

For more information on today's matchup, check out the game notes below.