Three things: Big names expected to play Thursday in St. Paul

Minnesota Wild vs. Dallas Stars

Wild.com's Dan Myers has three things to keep an eye on during the game Thursday night:

1. Dubnyk's debut

Andrew Hammond got the start in Winnipeg and Alex Stalock followed Wednesday in Des Moines, but for the first time this preseason, the crease will belong to Devan Dubnyk.
Dubnyk started 59 games for Minnesota last season, posting a 35-16-7 record with a 2.52 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage.
There's no roster battle to be had here; Dubnyk is the Wild's unquestioned starter between the posts, but it will be good to see where Dubnyk is at as he enters his fourth full season in a Minnesota uniform.

2. Parise, Koivu expected to play

In addition to the man in the crease, captain Mikko Koivu and alternate captain Zach Parise are also expected to hit the ice for the first time this postseason.
For Parise, it marks an important step back from the fractured sternum he sustained late in Game 3 against the Winnipeg Jets in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last April.
Parise had been red-hot before that, scoring 12 goals in the final 18 games of the regular season and one in each of the first three games of the series against the Jets.
Koivu tallied 14 goals and 45 points playing in all 82 games for the second time in three years.

3. Discovering more depth

Justin Kloos has been perhaps the Wild's best player through two preseason games, but he won't play Thursday after scoring a goal in Des Moines against the Blues on Wednesday night.
Brennan Menell scored the only other goal in St. Louis, while Matt Hendricks scored Minnesota's single tally Monday in Winnipeg.
Which depth guy will step to the forefront against the Stars? While Minnesota will have its share of Opening Night names in the lineup, there will be plenty of room for others to step to the forefront and make their mark.
Related:
- Kloos strong preseason continues with goal against Blues