Game Preview: Wild at Maple Leafs

TORONTO, Ontario -- Minnesota looks to extend its road winning streak to seven games tonight in Toronto at 6:00 p.m. CT on Wild+ and KFAN FM 100.3. The Wild earned its sixth consecutive road win on Tuesday night with a 2-1 overtime win over the Montreal Canadiens. The win in Montreal also extended Minnesota’s overall point streak to nine games (7-0-2). For the Maple Leafs, however, things have gone the opposite direction. They enter play on a four-game skid and have lost six of their last seven games, allowing at least four goals in four of those contests.

A big key to Minnesota’s success this season is its defense and goaltending. The Wild is only allowing 2.20 goals per game up to this point, which is the best mark in the NHL. In games played away from Saint Paul, the Wild is allowing 2.08 goals per game, the second-best mark in the league behind the Dallas Stars (1.57). Over its six-game road winning streak, Minnesota is allowing just 1.33 goals per game while averaging just shy of four goals per game (3.83).

Jesper Wallstedt, who has been one of the Wild’s most consistent players, will get his 12th road start of the season tonight. A key contributor to Minnesota’s road success, Wallstedt is 5-0-0 in his last five road games with a 1.20 GAA and a .954 SV% and has allowed just one goal or less in four-of-five starts (Two goals allowed on Nov. 3 at PHI). Wallstedt leads all NHL netminders with a 1.81 GAA, a .933 SV% and wins (7) on the road this season (Min. five GP). He is also the only goaltender in the league who has made double-digit starts on the road.

On the offensive side of the puck, Minnesota has two of the hottest players on the planet. Kirill Kaprizov (6-9=15) and Quinn Hughes (4-10=14) will both look to extend their respective point streaks to 10 games. The two of them, along with Matt Boldy, combined for the game-winning goal in overtime in Montreal. Kaprizov ranks T-3rd among all NHL skaters with 19 points (12-7=19) on the road this season, while Hughes ranks second among NHL defensemen with 15 points (3-12=15) in road games. Kaprizov has tallied a point in 11-of-13 road games this season, and Hughes has notched a point in 12-of-13.

Info for Tonight's Game:

• When: Thursday November 12 at 6:00 p.m. CT
• Where: Scotiabank Arena (Toronto, Ontario)
• Watch: How to Watch
• Listen: KFAN
• Gamecenter: Wild at Maple Leafs

Records:

• Minnesota Wild Record: 13-3-4, 30 points.

• Toronto Maple Leafs Record: 8-10-2, 18 points.

• All-Time Wild Record: 16-16-2 (9-6-1 at Grand Casino Arena, 7-10-1 at Toronto).

Wild Leaders Against Maple Leafs

• LW Nick Foligno leads Minnesota with 23 points (10-13=23) in 57 career games against Toronto
• D Quinn Hughes has 20 points (2-18=20) in 19 games
• M. Foligno has 18 points (8-10=18) in 37 games
• D Zach Bogosian owns 13 points (3-10=13) in 41 games
• D Jared Spurgeon has 10 points (3-7=10) in 23 games.

Maple Leafs Leaders Against Wild

• Tavares leads Toronto with 24 points (9-15=24) in 26 career games against Minnesota
• D Morgan Rielly has 19 points (2-17=19) in 23 games
• Matthews owns 18 points (12-6=18) in 15 games
• RW William Nylander owns 15 points (9-6=15) in 17 games
• D Oliver Ekman-Larsson has 13 points (2-11=13) in 47 contests.

Connections

• Wild Associate Coach Jack Capuano was selected by Toronto in the fifth round (88th overall) of the 1984 NHL Draft and played in one game with the Maple Leafs, making his NHL debut vs. BUF (10/11/89)
• Bogosian recorded four assists (0-4=4) in 45 games with Toronto in 2020-21
• N. Foligno recorded four assists (0-4=4) in seven games with Toronto during the 2020-21 season and one assist in four games during the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs
• Pickard started one game for Toronto during the 2017-18 season, stopping 24-of-28 shots faced (12/29/17 at COL)
• RW Brandon Duhaime was selected by Minnesota in the fourth round (106th overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft and collected 35 points (19-16=35) in 193 games over a span of three seasons (2021-24) with the Wild
• C Dakota Joshua is the older brother of Iowa Wild forward Jagger Joshua
• C Vinni Lettieri is from Excelsior and played four seasons at the University of Minnesota (2013-17) and collected nine points (5-4=9) in 46 games with the Wild in 2023-24
• D Dakota Mermis skated in 54 games and posted eight points (3-5=8) with Minnesota in parts of four seasons (2020-24).

Fast Facts

• Minnesota is 13-8-2 in its last 23 games against Toronto
• In its 16 all-time wins against the Maple Leafs, Minnesota has outscored Toronto, 51-29.

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