Wild Warmup: Minnesota at New Jersey

The essentials

The Wild Warmup is presented by Bryant Heating and Cooling
NEW YORK -- On the heels of back-to-back games in Florida, the Wild will conclude a three-game road trip Wednesday night when it plays the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Minnesota arrived Tuesday in the Big Apple after a restful day of team bonding Monday and a practice in Tampa on Tuesday before boarding an airplane to the Northeast.
The Wild didn't get a win on its two-game southern sojourn, but the way it responded to get one point Sunday against the Tampa Bay Lightning left a good taste in players' mouths about the trip.
Minnesota rallied from a pair of goals late, scoring twice 6-on-5 in the final three minutes of regulation to force overtime, and eventually a shootout, where the Lightning prevailed 5-4.
A victory would mean a .500 road trip against three Eastern teams, all with winning records. The Florida portion of the trip provided the Wild with two of the stiffest tests in the NHL. The Devils have won five of their nine home games so far, and captured a point in six of nine.
"It's a big game on Wednesday]," said Wild forward Nico Sturm. "I feel like coming up with a point the other day - you don't like losing - but we were in a good mood after that game."
Minnesota
[will be without defenseman and captain
Jared Spurgeon, who will miss the game - and the next couple after that - with a lower-body injury. Spurgeon was deemed "week-to-week" by Wild coach Dean Evason on Tuesday, and will be out at least through the weekend.
Spurgeon was hurt in the first period on Saturday, and Minnesota went 50 minutes in that game with just five defensemen. Jordie Benn played Sunday for the first time in more than three weeks, posting an assist for his first point in a Wild sweater.
He'll be in the lineup again on Wednesday.
"Really liked how Jordie Benn played the game," Evason said. "Obviously, he had a really nice assist, but he played the game with a sense of urgency with that bite that we know he can play with. It was an asset for our hockey club.
"We've talked about our depth in all areas and the blue line is one of them. [Benn] in particular has not got into games because guys have played well. It's nice to have that depth in all areas of our game."
Nick Bjugstad is also expected to return to the lineup. He's been a healthy scratch in each of the past two games in place of Victor Rask, who will be scratched on Wednesday.
Cam Talbot will start in goal for Minnesota.
Like the Wild, New Jersey is coming off a two-game Florida swing that saw the Devils lose 4-1 to the Panthers on Thursday and storm back for a 5-3 win in Tampa over the Lightning on Saturday. The victory snapped a three-game skid for the Devils, which began the day Tuesday tied for sixth in the tightly-packed Metropolitan Division.
New Jersey is one of four teams within a single point of each other in the Metro.
The Devils have been without Jack Hughes for much of the season after he was injured in the club's second game of the year. Hughes scored two goals, including the game winner in a season opening win against Chicago, but was hurt four nights later and hasn't returned.
In his stead, Dawson Mercer and Jesper Bratt have attempted to fill the void. They each lead the club with 12 points. Pavel Zacha has a team-high seven goals.
Mackenzie Blackwood missed the first month with a heel injury but has since returned to the lineup. He's 3-1-1 in six starts with a 3.03 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage.
The game Wednesday marks the first of two meetings in eight days between the clubs; the Devils and Wild will complete their seasons series on Dec. 2 in St. Paul.