Wild at Hurricanes
The Minnesota Wild are finding ways to win despite missing key performers and face another tough obstacle with a four-game road trip, which begins Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Wild shut out Tampa Bay and posted five goals in a victory over Winnipeg after standout left wing Zach Parise (knee) went down, adding to an already long injury list.
Minnesota was also without top-four defenseman Marco Scandella (personal matter) in the last contest against Winnipeg and he is questionable for Carolina. Thomas Vanek recorded a pair of goals in Tuesday’s triumph against Winnipeg and has 35 points in 32 career games against the Hurricanes, who have dropped three of the last four contests. Carolina continues to struggle in the offensive end where it is averaging two goals – 28th in the league entering Wednesday’s games. Jordan Staal has raised his production level with three goals in the last four contests for the Hurricanes, who have dropped four straight to Minnesota.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Carolina
ABOUT THE WILD (9-3-2): Parise is expected to miss at least two more weeks while fellow forwards Zac Dalpe, Tyler Graovac and Justin Fontaine will be out longer term. Captain Mikko Koivu leads the team in scoring with 13 points, one better than Vanek and All-Star defenseman Ryan Suter, who has totaled six in as many games with a plus-2 rating in that span. Left wing Jason Zucker continues to produce, boasting nine points in the last nine games after posting two in the previous five.
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (6-9-0): Brett Pesce has earned a regular spot on the blue line while playing the last eight games, recording an assist and a minus-1 rating. Fellow rookie defenseman Noah Hanifin – picked fifth overall in last summer’s draft – has also played well enough to stick around and burn one year of his entry-level contract, but was been a healthy scratch the last two games. Cam Ward has received the most work in goal, winning three of his last five starts, and is expected to start Thursday.
OVERTIME
1. Carolina RW Kris Versteeg leads the team with 10 points, but has been blanked in the last three games.
2. The Wild has been called for only two minor penalties or fewer in nine of the last 10 contests.
3. The Hurricanes entered Wednesday’s game second in the league in face-off percentage (53.7).