Preview: Wild vs. Red Wings

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild hosts the Red Wings tonight after a few days off for the holidays.

Info for Tonight's Game:

• When: Wednesday, December 27 at 7:00 p.m. CT
• Where: Xcel Energy Center (Saint Paul, Minnesota)
• Tickets: Wild vs. Red Wings
• Watch: Bally Sports North
• Listen: KFAN 100.3 FM

Wild Record: 15-13-4, 34 points, 7th in Central Division

Red Wings Record: 16-14-4, 36 points, 5th in Atlantic Division

2023-24 Series Record: 0-1-0

Wild vs. Wings All-Time Record:  24-29-12 (13-10-9 at Xcel Energy Center)

Record when wearing third jersey: 4-1-1

Last Time Out

The Wild defeated the Boston Bruins, 3-2, on Saturday (12/23) at Xcel Energy Center. F Joel Eriksson Ek notched two points (1-1=2) while alternate captains Marcus Foligno and Kirill Kaprizov scored a goal apiece in the win. G Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 19/21 shots faced (.905 SV%) for Minnesota and moved to 550 career wins, trailing 2nd place all-time in the NHL by one win. 

The Red Wings lost to the New Jersey Devils, 3-2, on Saturday (12/23) at Prudential Center. F Patrick Kane and D Shane Gostisbehere each scored for Detroit. G Michael Hutchinson saved 33-of-36 shots faced (.917 SV%) in his first NHL game this season.

What Happened Last Time?

The Wild fell to the Wings, 4-1, when the two teams met earlier this season at Little Caesar's Arena (11/26). Eriksson Ek scored the only goal for Minnesota. G Filip Gustavsson stopped 19-of-22 shots faced (.864 SV%) for the Wild. 

Gostisbehere led the Red Wings with four points (1-3=4). F David Perron (2-0=2) and F Dylan Larkin (1-1=2) also notched multi-point games. G Alex Lyon saved 37-of-38 shots faced (.974 SV%).

Players to Watch

• Fleury currently sits at 550 career wins and needs two wins to pass Patrick Roy (551 career wins) for second-most in NHL history
  • He is also currently at 998 career games played and needs two game appearances to become the fourth goaltender in NHL history to reach the 1,000 games played mark
• Kaprizov leads Minnesta with 31 points (12-19=31) this season and owns an active four-game point streak (4-3=7) and an active three-game goal streak (4-2=6)
• Captain D Jared Spurgeon is currently with 110 career goals and is tied with Nino Niederreiter for eighth-most in franchise history, needs one goal to tie Eric Staal for seventh-most in franchise history
• F Alex Debrincat leads Detroit in goals and points (15-17=32)
• F Patrick Kane has eight points (4-4=8) in his last four games and has 10 points (5-5=10) in 10 games played this season
• Gostisbehere leads the Wings with 18 assists and leads team defensemen in scoring (7-18=25)

Recent Transactions

Recalled D Daemon Hunt (regular recall) and F Jake Lucchini under emergency conditions from Iowa (12/26).

Injury Report

Captain D Jared Spurgeon (lower body) is day-to-day, F Ryan Hartman (upper body) did not play against Boston (12/23), F Mats Zuccarello (upper body) is on Injured Reserve and D Jonas Brodin has been placed on Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR).

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

Fast Facts

• The Wild is 10-3-0 since Nov. 28 and currently leads the NHL in wins and points (20) during that span
• Minnesota is 12-6-3 in its last 21 games against Detroit with 10 of those games decided by one goal
• The Wild has earned a point in seven of its last 10 games in Detroit (5-3-2)
• Minnesota has earned a point in 16 of the last 19 meetings at Xcel Energy Center (10-3-6) and is 6-0-1 in the last seven games played in Saint Paul

Connections

• D Jon Merrill collected five assists in 36 games with the Red Wings in 2020-21
• Detroit Head Coach Derek Lalonde was Head Coach of the Iowa Wild for two seasons (2016-18)
• Red Wings Assistant Coach Alex Tanguay spent two seasons as an Assistant Coach for the Iowa Wild (2019-21)
• D Justin Holl hails from Tonka Bay and played four seasons at the University of Minnesota (2010-14)
• Lyon is from Baudette

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