[9:09 PM] Wild @ Flames

Who will WIN this matchup?

Minnesota Wild (11-8-3)

@ Calgary Flames (11-13-2)

 

Starting Goalies:

Devan Dubnyk (MIN): Confirmed

Chad Johnson (CGY): Confirmed

 

• Minnesota Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said he isn’t expecting anything out of the norm on Friday when his club continues its five-game road trip with a visit to the Calgary Flames. The Wild have come under fire from the Flames’ bloggers for allegedly targeting Johnny Gaudreau in the first meeting 2 1/2 weeks ago, resulting in a fractured finger for the star following 21 slashes throughout the course of the contest.

• Gaudreau scored the lone goal in Calgary’s 1-0 victory over Minnesota on Nov. 15, with Chad Johnson turning aside 27 shots for his first shutout of the season. The 30-year-old Johnson owns a 6-2-0 mark with a career-best three blankings in his last eight games with a 1.50 goals-against average and .951 save percentage, highlighted by a 39-save performance on Wednesday in a 3-0 triumph over Toronto.

• Although Boudreau shot down the idea of a chippy game, Minnesota may be bracing itself for one by recalling rugged forward Kurtis Gabriel from Iowa of the American Hockey League on Thursday. The 23-year-old Ontario native led Iowa with 127 penalty minutes in 2015-16 and has 35 this season to go along with three goals and an assist. Jason Zucker, who is pesky in his own right, is riding a four-game point streak (one goal, four assists) and has recorded nine of his 12 points on the road this season.

• Kris Versteeg has provided an unexpected offensive boost of late, scoring a goal versus the Maple Leafs for his third point in four games after mustering just four in his previous 12 encounters. Fellow forward Sean Monahan has recorded a point in his last two contests after being held off the scoresheet in five straight games. Michael Frolik had an assist for his team-leading 15th point on Wednesday, but has notched just 10 (five goals, five assists) in 23 career meetings with Minnesota.

• Minnesota G Devan Dubnyk has dropped four of his last seven decisions (3-3-1) despite permitting only 13 goals in that stretch.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Minnesota Wild

Confidence: 5/10

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