Game Preview: Wild vs Islanders

SAINT PAUL, MN -- The Wild returns home tonight for a matchup against the New York Islanders at 7:00 p.m. on Wild+ and KFAN FM 100.3. Minnesota enters tonight with a season-long three-game win streak on the line, ending its five-game road trip with wins over Seattle, Vancouver and Utah.

Tonight marks only the fifth home game of the season for Minnesota, as 10 of its first 14 games have been played on the road. Minnesota has made the most out of its previous four home games, however. The Wild is one of two teams in the NHL to remain perfect at home alongside the New York Rangers. Minnesota is outscoring its opponents 15-8 with a plus-41 shot differential in games at Grand Casino Arena. Along with that, Minnesota is 5-13 on the power play (38.5%) while only allowing one power play goal on 12 chances (91.7%)

Being unbeaten at home and owning 20 points on the season, which is T-2nd most in the NHL this season, is impressive considering the injuries Minnesota is dealing with. Already without star defenseman, Brock Faber, forwards Nick and Marcus Foligno and goaltender Filip Gustavsson, they will now be without captain Jared Spurgeon, who was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury and is considered week-to-week.

David Spacek will slot in for Spurgeon and play alongside Matt Kiersted, while Jonas Brodin will be alongside Quinn Hughes and Zach Bogosian and Olli Maatta will be paired together. The rest of the Wild lineup will remain the same, including Jesper Wallstedt in net.

Kirill Kaprizov has a chance to make NHL history night. He’s currently sitting at 14 goals in the month of October, T-5th most in NHL history. Two goals tonight would tie him with Mario Lemieux for the most goals in October in NHL history. Kaprizov has recorded multiple points (3-3=6) in three consecutive games and remains the league-leading goal scorer.

Info for Tonight's Game:

• When: Thursday, October 29 at 7:00 p.m. CT
• Where: Grand Casino Arena (Saint Paul, Minnesota)
• Tickets: Buy Tickets
• Watch: How to Watch
• Listen: KFAN
• Gamecenter: Islanders vs. Wild

Records:

• Minnesota Wild Record: 9-3-2, 20 points
• Utah Mammoth Record: 6-4-2, 14 points
• All-Time Wild Record:  22-12-3 (12-4-3 at Grand Casino Arena,
  10-8-0 at New York)

Wild Leaders Against Islanders

• LW Nick Foligno leads Minnesota with 24 points (13-11=24) in 51 career games against the Islanders
• D Quinn Hughes owns 16 points (4-12=16) in 10 games
• D Jared Spurgeon (3-7=10, in 23 games), C Joel Eriksson Ek (5-5=10, in 12 games) and LW Marcus Foligno (5-5=10, in 28 games) all have 10 points.

Islanders Leaders Against Wild

•  C Brayden Schenn leads the Islanders with 31 points (11-20=31) in 42 career games against Minnesota
• C Bo Horvat (9-6=15, in 26 games) and C Kyle Palmieri (6-9=15, in 25 games) have 15 points each
• D Tony DeAngelo has 14 points (2-12=14) in 15 games.

Connections

• Minnesota President of Hockey Operations and General
  Manager Bill Guerin tallied 80 points (39-41=80) and 128 PIM in 142 games
  with the Islanders in two seasons (2007-09)
• Wild LW Max Shabanov recorded 18 points (5-13=18) in 44 games with the Islanders last season (2025-26).
• D Jared Spurgeon was drafted by New York in the sixth round of the
  2008 NHL Draft (156th overall).
• Minnesota Associate Coach Jack Capuano served as Head Coach of the Islanders for parts of seven seasons (2010-17).

Fast Facts

• The Wild won seven consecutive games against the Islanders
  from 11/7/21 - 2/8/25 and are 11-3-2 in the last 16 meetings overall since
  12/29/16.

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