[5:00 PM] Wild @ Senators

Who will WIN this matchup?

Minnesota Wild (7-5-1)

@ Ottawa Senators (9-5-0)

 

Starting Goalies:

Darcy Kuemper (MIN): Likely

Craig Anderson (OTT): Confirmed

 

Current odds:

Minnesota Wild: (+120)

Ottawa Senators: (-140)

 

The Minnesota Wild look to break even on their four-game road trip when they conclude it against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday. Minnesota fell to 1-2-0 on its trek after squandering a pair of leads Saturday and dropping a 3-2 decision at Philadelphia. Nino Niederreiter scored for the Wild in the loss, giving him a goal in two straight contests and three of his last five to pull within one of Eric Staal for the team lead.

Ottawa is seeking its third consecutive victory after posting 2-1 triumphs at Buffalo – in a shootout – on Wednesday and over Los Angeles at home two days later. Five of the Senators’ last six games have been one-goal decisions, with the club going 4-1-0 in those contests and four of the five ending with a 2-1 score. Kyle Turris leads Ottawa with six goals but has scored just one in his last five games for his only point in that span.

Staal notched an assist on Saturday to raise his point total to 12 – one better than defenseman Ryan Suter for the team lead. The 32-year-old center has notched at least one point in seven of his last eight games. Erik Haula, who returned to the lineup Thursday after missing seven games with a foot injury, appeared in his 200th career contest Saturday but was kept off the scoresheet a third straight time after recording his only two points of the season on Oct. 18 versus Los Angeles.

Minnesota G Darcy Kuemper could make his first start – and appearance – since Oct. 23 after Devan Dubnyk allowed more than two goals on Saturday for the first time in nine starts.

Ottawa has allowed fewer than two goals in each of its last six victories but scored two or fewer in eight straight contests.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Ottawa Senators

Confidence: 5/10

Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick