Stars and Wild Prepare for Central Division Clash
The Dallas Stars (21-5-5) are set to face off against the Minnesota Wild (16-9-5) tonight at the Grand Casino Arena in what promises to be a напряженный Central Division matchup. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on FDSNWI, FDSNNO, and Victory+.
Projected Lineups
Here’s a look at the projected lineups for both teams:
Dallas Stars:
- Jamie Benn -- Wyatt Johnston -- Mikko Rantanen
- Jason Robertson -- Roope Hintz -- Matt Duchene
- Oskar Back -- Justin Hryckowian -- Mavrik Bourque
- Sam Steel -- Radek Faksa -- Colin Blackwell
- Esa Lindell -- Miro Heiskanen
- Thomas Harley -- Nils Lundkvist
- Vladislav Kolyachonok -- Alex Petrovic
- Jake Oettinger
- Casey DeSmith
Scratched: Nathan Bastian, Kyle Capobianco
Injured: Tyler Seguin (ACL), Adam Erne (lower body), Lian Bichsel (lower body), Ilya Lybushkin (undisclosed)
Minnesota Wild:
- Kirill Kaprizov -- Danila Yurov -- Vladimir Tarasenko
- Marcus Johansson -- Joel Eriksson Ek -- Matt Boldy
- Yakov Trenin -- Ryan Hartman -- Liam Ohgren
- Ben Jones -- Nico Sturm -- Tyler Pitlick
- Jonas Brodin -- Brock Faber
- Daemon Hunt -- Jared Spurgeon
- Zeev Buium -- Zach Bogosian
- Filip Gustavsson
- Jesper Wallstedt
Scratched: Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Matt Kiersted, Hunter Haight
Injured: Marcus Foligno (lower body), Vinnie Hinostroza (lower body), Marco Rossi (lower body), Mats Zuccarello (upper body), Jacob Middleton (upper body)
Team Status and Injuries
The Stars enter tonight's game with a strong record, currently holding the second-best record in the NHL. However, they are dealing with some injuries, with key players like Tyler Seguin out with an ACL injury. An unnamed Dallas defenseman is also dealing with an illness and is a game-time decision. If he is unable to play, Kyle Capobianco will slot into the lineup.
The Wild have been hit harder by injuries, with Marcus Foligno, Vinnie Hinostroza, Marco Rossi, Mats Zuccarello, and Jacob Middleton all sidelined. Rossi skated with the team recently, but no timeline has been set for his return. Zuccarello and Middleton were placed on injured reserve. To bolster their roster, the Wild have recalled Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Matt Kiersted from Iowa of the American Hockey League.
Goaltending Matchup
Jake Oettinger is expected to start in goal for the Stars. For the Wild, Filip Gustavsson will be between the pipes, making consecutive starts for the first time since early November.
Players to Watch
For the Stars, keep an eye on Wyatt Johnston and Mikko Rantanen, who have been key contributors in recent games. Rantanen has 14 points in the last 10 games. For the Wild, Kirill Kaprizov is always a threat, with a strong record against Dallas.
Additional Information
The Stars won their previous game against the Winnipeg Jets 4-3, marking their fourth straight win. The Wild also secured a win in their last game, defeating the Seattle Kraken 4-1. Joel Eriksson Ek had a standout performance in that game with 3 points. This is the second meeting between the Stars and Wild this season, with Dallas winning the first encounter 5-2 on October 14.
