Preview: Wild at Bruins

BOSTON -- The Minnesota Wild look to rebound tonight at TD Garden against the Boston Bruins after a narrow loss to the Penguins last night in Pittsburgh.

Info for Tonight's Game:

• When: Tuesday, December 19 at 6:00 p.m. CT
• Where: TD Garden (Boston, Massachusetts) 
• Watch: Bally Sports North
• Listen: KFAN 100.3 FM

Wild Record: 12-13-4, 28 points, 7th in Central Division

Bruins Record: 19-5-5, 43 points, 1st in Atlantic Division

2022-23 Series Record: 0-1-1

Wild vs. Bruins All-Time Record:  16-9-5 (9-4-2 at Boston)

Last Time Out

The Wild fell to the Penguins, 4-3, last night at PPG Paints Arena. After trailing 3-0, F Ryan Hartman, D Jake Middleton and F Vinni Lettieri scored consecutively to even the game for Minnesota, but the Wild was unable to secure the win. G Filip Gustavsson made 24-of-30 saves (.867 SV%). 

The Bruins fell to the New York Rangers in overtime, 2-1, at Madison Square Garden on Saturday (12/16) after giving up a late goal in the third. F Trent Frederic scored Boston's only goal. G Jeremy Swayman stopped 32-of-34 shots for a .941 SV%.

What Happened Last Time?

The Bruins topped the Wild, 5-2 at Xcel energy Center on March 18, 2023 to end a 14-game point streak for Minnesota. F Marcus Johansson (1-1=2) and F Oskar Sundqvist (PPG) scored for the Wild. Gustavsson stopped 33-of-37 shots (.892 SV%). 

Forwards Jake DeBrusk, Patrnak (PPG), David Krejci, Patrice Bergeron and Frederic (ENG) scored for Boston. G Linus Ullmark saved 29/31 shots to post a .935 SV%.

Players to Watch

• G Marc-Andre Fleury is currently at 548 career wins and needs four wins to pass Patrick Roy (551 career wins) for second-most in NHL history
• Middleton scored his fifth goal of the season at yesterday at Pittsburgh, setting a new single-season career high
• D Brock Faber leads all NHL rookies with 24:08 TOI per game and a plusnine rating, is second with 51 blocked shots and T-4th with 12 assists
• F David Pastrnak is first on the Bruins in goals, assists and points (17-24=41) and T-5th in the NHL in goals and points
• Captain F Brad Marchand is second on Boston with 26 points (12-14=26)

Recent Transactions

The Wild recalled D Daemon Hunt, F Vinni Lettieri and D Dakota Mermis from Iowa and placed D Jonas Brodin on Long-Term Injured Reserve (12/13).

Injury Report

Captain D Jared Spurgeon (lower body) is day-to-day, F Mats Zuccarello (upper body) did not play last night and D Jonas Brodin has been placed on LTIR.

To view Minnesota's full Injury Report, visit wild.com/injury.

Fast Facts

• Minnesota swept the season series in 2021-22 for the first time since 2016-17

Connections

•  Minnesota Wild General Manager Bill Guerin skated in 142 games with Boston, collecting 129 points (69-60=129) and 213 PIM in two seasons (2000-02)
• Johansson recorded three points (1-2=3) in 10 regular season games and 11 points (4-7=11) in 22 Stanley Cup playoff games with Boston in 2018-19
• F Charlie Coyle registered 242 points (91-151=242) in 479 games with the Wild (2012-19)
• D Derek Forbort hails from Duluth

For more information on tonight's contest, check out the game notes below.