Preview: Wild vs. Blues

SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild kicks off a six-game homestand this afternoon against the St. Louis Blues as both teams are hungry for two points in the race to the playoffs.

Info for Tonight's Game:

• When: Saturday, March 23 at 1:00 p.m. CT
• Where: Xcel Energy Center
• Tickets: Leather Journal Giveaway
• Watch: Bally Sports North
• Listen: KFAN 100.3 FM
• Gamecenter: Wild vs. Blues

Wild Record: 34-28-8, 76 points, 6th in Central Division

Blues Record: 35-22-1137-30-3, 77 points, 6th in Central Division

2023-24 Series Record: 1-2-0

Wild vs. Blues All-Time Record: 41-34-20 (26-14-8 at Xcel Energy Center)

Third jersey record: 6-4-2

Last Time Out

The Wild fell to the Los Angeles Kings, 6-0, in a late game on Wednesday night (3/20). G Marc-Andre Fleury made 11-of-16 saves (.688 SV%) in 26:56 TOI before being replaced. G Filip Gustavsson stopped 10-of-11 shots faced (.909 SV%) in relief.

The Blues defeated the Ottawa Senators, 5-2, on Thursday (3/21). F Jordan Kyrou (1-2=3) led St. Louis with three points. F Jake Neighbours had two goals and F Brandon Saad tallied a goal and an assist for two points. D Colton Parayko (1-0=1) also netted a goal in the win. G Joel Hofer made 37-of-39 saves (.949 SV%) in net for the win.

Previously on Wild vs. Blues

The Blues defeated the Wild in a shootout, 3-2, earlier this month (3/16).

F Kirill Kaprizov (1-1=2) led Minnesota in scoring with a goal and an assist. F Marco Rossi (1-0=1) also scored for the Wild. F Mats Zuccarello (0-1=1) and D Zach Bogosian (0-1=1) notched assists. Fleury made 35-of-37 saves for a .946 SV%. 

Kyrou (1-1=2) paced St. Louis with two points. F Brayden Schenn (1-0=1) netted the Blues' second goal. G Jordan Binnington made 22-of-24 saves (.917 SV%).

Players to Watch

• Kaprizov leads Minnesota with 77 points (36-41=77) and 36 goals this season and has 53 points (28-25=53) and a plus-15 rating in his last 36 games played
• Zuccarello (11-44=55) leads the Wild in assists and is T-3rd in points
• F Ryan Hartman has seven points (3-4=7) in his last eight games
• F Marcus Johansson is currently at 899 career NHL games played
• Kyrou (22-31=53) is T-2nd on St. Louis in points and assists, is fourth in goals and owns five points (2-3=5) in his last five games played
• Neighbours (24-10=34) is T-1st on his team in goals, is T-4th in points and has collected six points (4-2=6) in his last five games
• F Robert Thomas (23-50=73) leads the Blues in points and assists, is T-1st with a +10 rating and is third in goals
• D Nick Leddy will skate in his 1,000th NHL game tonight in his hometown

Recent Transactions

The Minnesota Wild signed F Rasmus Kumpulainen to a three-year, entry-level contract beginning in the 2024-25 season.

To view more recent transactions, visit wild.com/transactions.

To view Minnesota's full Injury Report, visit wild.com/injury.

Connections

• Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin registered 47 points (28-19=47) in 61 contests with the Blues in 2006-07
• D Justin Faulk is from South Saint Paul and played one season at the University of Minnesota Duluth (2010-11)
• Leddy hails from Eden Prairie and was selected by Minnesota in the first round (16th overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft
• D Scott Perunovich is from Hibbing and played three seasons (2017-20) at the University of Minnesota Duluth
• D Marco Scandella was selected by the Wild in the second round (55th overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft and recorded 89 points (27-62=89) in 373 games in seven seasons (2010-17) with Minnesota
• F Oskar Sundqvist recorded seven points (3-4=7) in 15 games with Minnesota in 2022-23

Fast Facts

• The Wild is 11-9-5 in its last 25 games vs. St. Louis
• The Wild topped the Blues in the 2015 First Round, clinching the series with a Game 6 win in Saint Paul – marking the first time in franchise history Minnesota won a playoff series on home ice
• The Blues defeated the Wild in the 2017 First Round and 2022 First Round