The Wild closes out a four-game homestand tonight against Toronto at 6:30 on TNT and KFAN FM 100.3. On the heels of back-to-back losses at home, Minnesota will look to get back in the win column against the Maple Leafs, a team it has beaten three consecutive times, including a 6-3 win in Toronto on January 19. Both teams come into tonight’s game on the second night of a back-to-back, with Toronto falling to Buffalo in a shootout last night, while Minnesota fell to the New York Rangers, 4-2. Minnesota owns a 3-4-6 record on the second leg of back-to-back, while Toronto is 4-6-1.
Jesper Wallstedt is the expected starter for Minnesota tonight. He has earned a point in four of his last five starts, going 2-1-2 with a 2.86 GAA and a .914 SV%. For the season, Wallstedt owns a 14-6-6 record with a 2.77 GAA, a .912 SV% and four shutouts. This marks the first time Wallstedt will face Toronto in his career. For the Maple Leafs, Anthony Stolarz is the expected starter. In nine starts dating back to November 8, Stolarz has struggled with a record of 1-5-2, a 3.99 GAA and a .879 SV%. In four career starts against the Wild, Stolarz is 1-2-1 with a 3.75 GAA and a .903 SV%.
While it has lost its last two games at home, the Wild could take advantage of one more game inside Grand Casino Arena, as the Maple Leafs have lost six straight road games—four of those coming in regulation. On the road this season, the Maple Leafs own a record of 11-16-5 and are getting outscored 117-91. Meanwhile, even with the two losses, Minnesota is 6-2-2 in its last 10 home games, outscoring its opponents 34-25.
Players to Watch:
Matt Boldy: The winger has scored a goal in three consecutive games and owns 28 points (13-15=28) in his last 21 games. Boldy has faced Toronto seven times in his career, tallying four points (3-1=4).
Quinn Hughes: He comes into tonight’s game with a point (1-8=9) in seven consecutive games. Along with that, he has also recorded a point (2-15=17) in 10 consecutive games against the Maple Leafs.
