Wild looking to change course at NHL Global Series Sweden

STOCKHOLM -- The Ottawa Senators and Minnesota Wild each arrived in Sweden looking to reset their season after an up-and-down start.

But there's one catch.

"It only works if we win," Wild forward Marcus Foligno said Friday. "So you know, we can really do something here and make it a special trip and hopefully look back on it later in the season and we can circle this one as something that turned the season. But it only works if you get the job done tomorrow and Sunday."

The Wild will be the last team to play a game at the 2023 NHL Global Series Sweden presented by Fastenal, facing off against the Senators on Saturday at Avicii Arena (11 a.m. ET; RDS, TSN5, NHLN, BSN, BSWIX). They play the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday.

After a day off Thursday, the Wild practiced for the second time on the trip at Hovet, an adjoining rink to Avicii Arena that has an Olympic-size ice surface, which is about 13 feet wider than an NHL rink.

"We've been on the big ice surface, so things are a little bit slower on the big ice. It looks slower anyway," Wild coach Dean Evason said. "But the guys have been working and pushing. And obviously we've had two practices but a couple of days off as well. So our energy should be really high tomorrow."

The Wild (5-8-2) enter on a three-game losing streak, including an 8-3 loss to the Dallas Stars on Sunday before they flew here Monday night.

They are 16th in the NHL with an average of 3.27 goals per game, and are allowing 4.20 goals per game, which is second most in the League behind the San Jose Sharks (4.24).

"We are doing some things right now that are hurting us at crucial times in the game where, maybe instead of making that play, you just play a little bit smarter with the puck management and move on and set yourself up or set your teammates up next shift," Foligno said. "We just seem to be shooting ourselves in the foot at crucial times in the game and right now we're trying to find that confidence."

The Wild are hoping their Swedish players will give them some jump, including goalie Filip Gustavsson, who will start Saturday.

"It's what you dreamt of growing up, you always wanted to play in the NHL," said Gustavsson, who is from Skelleftea, which is a little less than 500 miles north of Stockholm. "And then to do it here in Sweden in front of all my family and grandparents that made me want to have the possibility to fly over to North America. It's going to be awesome."

Gustavsson will be facing a Senators team that won 5-4 in overtime against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. Ottawa scored the game's first four goals, and is averaging 3.93 goals per game, which is second in the NHL behind the Vancouver Canucks (4.24).

"They are just a high-energy, explosive hockey club, right?" Evason said. "Obviously (a team) that's extremely dangerous. We have to play the way that we can play in order to keep the puck out of our net and slow them down.

"We're very aware of what they can do offensively. We have to be very careful and play the way that we can play in order to have success tomorrow."

It was a second straight win for the Senators (7-7-0), who had lost three of their previous four games (1-3-0).

"They're going to forecheck and they are going to come after you," Senators coach D.J. Smith said of the Wild. "And we need to be ultra-disciplined. And if they take penalties then we have to score on the power play, it's as simple as that."

It's also simple that only one team can come out of the game with a much-needed win.

"Our season needs to turn quickly here," Foligno said. "We're excited to get back at it, play another game, and we're hoping that Sweden will bring us some luck and we can walk out of here with two points. We're excited to just get going."