Preview: Wild vs Stars

SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild will play Central Division rival Dallas Stars tonight at home and Wednesday on the road to close out the regular season series.

Info for Tonight's Game:

• When: Monday, January 8 at 7:00 p.m. CT
• Where: Xcel Energy Center (St. Paul, Minnesota)
• Tickets: Buy Now
• Watch: Bally Sports North
• Listen: KFAN 100.3 FM
• Gamecenter: Wild vs Stars

Info for Wednesday's Game:

• When: Wednesday, January 10 at 6:30 p.m. CT
• Where: American Airlines Center (Dallas, Texas)
• Watch: TNT
• Listen: KFAN 100.3 FM
• Gamecenter: Wild at Stars

Wild Record: 17-17-4, 38 points, 7th in Central Division

Stars Record: 22-11-5, 49 points, 3rd in Central Division

2023-24 Series Record: 0-1-0

Wild vs. Stars All-Time Record:  37-38-13 (24-14-5 at Xcel Energy Center, 13-24-8 at Dallas)

Last Time Out

The Wild defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets in overtime, 4-3, on Saturday night (1/6) at Nationwide Arena. F Matt Boldy recorded two goals (2-1=3), F Marcus Johansson scored to tie the game late in the third and F Marco Rossi scored to secure the win. D Brock Faber recorded three assists in the game. G Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 25-of-28 shots faced (.893 SV%) to tie him with Patrick Roy for second most wins by an NHL goalie (551).

The Stars lost to the Nashville Predators, 4-3, on Saturday night at home. Forwards Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn (PPG) and Jamie Robertson scored for Dallas. G Scott Wedgewood made 18-of-22 saves (.818 SV%) in net for the Stars.

What Happened Last Time?

The Wild lost to the Stars, 8-3, at Xcel Energy Center on Nov. 12. Forwards Brandon Duhaime, Vinni Lettieri and Mats Zuccarello scored for Minnesota. Fleury made 29-of-37 saves (.784 SV%) in net for the Wild. 

Forwards Joe Pavelski (PPG), Radek Faksa (SHG), Duchene, Wyatt Johnston (PPG, SHG), Evgenii Dadonov (PPG) and Robertson (PPG x2) scored for Dallas. G Jake Oettinger stopped 23-of-26 shots faced (.885 SV%) for the Stars.

Players to Watch

• Fleury currently sits at 551 career wins and needs one win to pass Patrick Roy for second-most in NHL history
• Boldy is eighth in the NHL with 12 goals scored since Nov. 28
• Faber leads all NHL rookies with 24:47 TOI per game and 69 blocked shots, is T-1st with a plus-9 rating, second with 17 assists and T-6th with 19 points (2-17=19)
  • Second among rookie defensemen in scoring
  • Ninth among all NHL skaters in TOI/game
  • Recorded the first three-assist and three-point game of his career at CBJ (1/6)
• Rossi, among NHL rookies, is T-1st in game-winning goals (two), second in goals (12), T-2nd in points (11-13=24), T-3rd in plus-minus rating (plus-8) and is fourth in shots on goal (76)
  • Tallied the first overtime goal of his career at Columbus (1/6)
• F Mason Marchment has nine points (3-6=9) in his last four games played
• F Roope Hintz has scored four goals in his last five games played
• F Matt Duchene has six assists in his last four games
• Robertson leads Dallas in points and assists (13-26=39)

Recent Transactions

The Wild recalled G Jesper Wallstedt from Iowa and reassigned G Zane McIntyre to Iowa (1/7).

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

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

Fast Facts

• Minnesota is 21-15-5 in the last 10 seasons (2013-23) against Dallas
• The Wild is 5-4-1 in the last 10 games against the Stars at Xcel Energy Center
• Minnesota has points in 11 of the last 20 games (9-9-2) played at American Airlines Center
• Minnesota was defeated by Dallas in six games in the 2016 and 2023 First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs

Connections

• Minnesota General Manager Bill Guerin recorded 159 points (72-87=159) and 337 PIM in 216 games with Dallas
• D Alex Goligoski recorded 187 points (32-155=187) in 385 games in parts of six seasons with the Stars (2011-16)
• Zuccarello tallied three points (1-2=3) in two regular season games and added 11 points (4-7=11) in 13 playoff games with Dallas (2018-19)
• Oettinger is from Lakeville
• D Ryan Suter recorded 369 points (55-314=369) in 656 games during nine seasons with the Wild (2012-21)
• F Sam Steel tallied 28 points (10-18=28), 18 PIM and a plus-11 rating in 65 games in one season with Minnesota (2022-23).

Game Notes

For more information on tonight's tilt, check out the game notes below.