The Wild Warmup is presented by Bryant Heating and Cooling
ST. PAUL -- The Wild will drop the puck on its penultimate exhibition game - and final preseason home contest - Thursday night when it hosts the Chicago Blackhawks at Xcel Energy Center.
For Minnesota, it marks the second of back-to-back home games following a 4-3 overtime victory over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday.
A handful of players are expected to play both ends of the back-to-back, including Wednesday goal scorers Adam Beckman and Brandon Duhaime, who are among a group of young players locked in battles to make the Opening Night roster.
Beckman has scored four goals in three preseason appearances so far, including at least one goal in all three of his contests.
Duhaime scored the first of two third-period goals as Minnesota rallied from 3-1 down with five minutes to play in regulation.
Other players who are expected to do double duty include Jon Merrill, Marco Rossi and Calen Addison.
Goaltender Cam Talbot is expected to draw the start and play the entire game. He will see all of the action over each of the final two exhibition contests, including Saturday's rematch at the United Center.
The Blackhawks are expected to bring a young lineup to St. Paul, with established NHLers like Connor Murphy, Jake McCabe, Jujhar Khaira, Calvin de Haan and Kirby Dach potentially making the trip.
Marc-Andre Fleury will not come to Minnesota, but could play in the rematch in Chicago on Saturday.
