Physical Game Against Flames Could be Looming

CALGARY --The Minnesota Wild could be in for a rough and tumble affair against the Calgary Flames on Friday night when the two teams square off at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
The Flames were vocal about their feelings towards Wild forward Eric Staal after he broke the finger of Calgary forward Johnny Gaudreau in a game at Xcel Energy Center on Nov. 15, a game the Flames won 1-0.

Gaudreau scored the only goal of the game in the first period, but was injured when Staal accidentally whacked his glove in the wrong spot, taking him out of the game -- and the lineup -- for the last two weeks.
"The frustration from my standpoint was [that] this wasn't just a single act. If you look at the game in Minnesota the other night … there's rules in the rule book for when you get whacked, like he's getting whacked," Flames General Manager Brad Treliving said two days after the game. "We think there could've been a call made.
"This isn't moaning and groaning. Top players learn to deal with, play around and play through some of this. But when you strike a guy in the hand, there's a penalty for it."
The play where Gaudreau was hurt was not penalized, but Wild coach Bruce Boudreau reiterated on Thursday that the play was not intentional, citing the type of player Staal is.

"The Gaudreau injury, if you watch hockey, you know it was an accident. If you play hockey, you know the gloves are made out of nothing now. Everyone gets touched," Boudreau said. "It was Eric Staal. What's the most penalty minutes he's ever got in a year? If you think he's a dirty player that's going for Gaudreau's hand, we're all mistaken. I think it was a crazy allegation by them."
In preparation for what could be a physical affair, the Wild recalled Kurtis Gabriel from Iowa on Wednesday. He should arrive in Calgary later in the day and be available should Boudreau see the need to put him in the lineup.
Boudreau said it was also important to have another forward up for the trip to Edmonton. The Wild has conducted physical practices each of the past two days, and with a trip to Edmonton looming following the game on Friday, travel played a part.

Iowa will be in Grand Rapids this weekend for games Friday and Saturday, and if the Wild was in a pinch for a forward, getting him to Edmonton from there wouldn't have been easy.
Now, the Wild will at least have options.
"If they play Friday-Saturday and we play Sunday [in Edmonton] and needed a guy for that game, it would be tough to get," Boudreau said.

Line tweaks

Boudreau made one small change to the lineup at practice, swapping Nino Niederreiter and Jason Zucker. Niederreiter skated with Mikael Granlund and Mikko Koivu on the second line while Zucker was with Erik Haula and Jason Pominville on the third line.
While the line of Niederreiter, Haula and Pominville has been buzzing of late, Niederreiter has said in the past that he feels more comfortable playing on his off hand. Moving up to play with Granlund and Koivu would allow him that opportunity.
Zucker's speed could also fit nicely with Haula at center and Pominville, who has been outstanding of late, at right wing.

Work zone

Minnesota's four-game trip to Canada is a long one, spanning 10 days on the calendar. While Wednesday was originally scheduled to be an off day, the result Tuesday night in Vancouver changed those plans.

But it's also allowed the Wild to get valuable practice time in, something that might not normally be possible in an every-other night routine like it will often see later in the season.
"It's an opportunity to be on the ice and get better in some areas and fine tune," Staal said. "We had a good skate yesterday and today, and now it's about being sure we're prepared to play mentally tomorrow night."