Preview: Wild vs. Flames

SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild welcomes the Calgary Flames to Xcel Energy Center on Tuesday night to ring in the new year.

Info for Tonight's Game:

• When: Tuesday, January 2 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

Wild Record: 16-14-4, 36 points, 7th in Central Division

Flames Record: 15-16-5, 35 points, 6th in Pacific Division

2023-24 Series Record: 2-0-0

Wild vs. Flames All-Time Record: 44-43-16 (25-16-10 at Xcel Energy Center)

Last Time Out

The Wild fell to the Winnipeg Jets, 3-2, at Xcel Energy Center on New Year's Eve. Forwards Marcus Foligno and Frederick Gaudreau (1-1=2) scored goals for the Wild. G Marc-Andre Fleury made 26-of-29 saves (.897 SV%) in his 1,000th NHL game. 

The Flames defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-3, on NYE. Forwards Mikael Backlund, Blake Coleman (1-1=2) and Nazem Kadri and D Dennis Gilbert (1-1=2) recorded goals for Calgary. G Jacob Markstrom made 28-of-31 saves for a .903 SV% in the win for the Flames.

What Happened Last Time?

The Wild topped the Flames with a shootout victory, 3-2, at Xcel Energy Center (12/14). F Marco Rossi netted a goal and F Matt Boldy scored in regulation and secured the win in the shootout. G Filip Gustavsson stopped 35-of-37 saves (.946 SV%) for the Wild. 

Forwards Yegor Sharangovich and Coleman scored in regulation for the Flames. G Dan Vladar made 30-of-32 saves (.938 SV%) in net for Calgary. 

Through two games against each other this season, Boldy leads the Wild with four points (3-1=4) and forwards Kirill Kaprizov (1-1=2), Rossi (1-1=2) and Marcus Johansson (02=2) have tallied two points each. Gustavsson is 2-0-0 with a 1.92 GAA and a .940 SV% in two starts but is currently on Injured Reserve.

 F Connor Zary (1-1=1), Sharangovich (1-1=2) and D MacKenzie Weeger (0-2=2) lead Calgary with two points each against the Wild. Vladar is 0-1-1 with a 3.47 GAA and a .896 SV% in two starts. G Dustin Wolf entered in the second period of the first contest (12/5) and stopped 11-of-13 shots faced for Calgary.

Players to Watch

• Fleury is currently at 550 career wins and needs two wins to pass Patrick Roy (551 career wins) for second-most in NHL history
• Foligno has scored three goals (3-0=3) in his last four games
• Rossi, among NHL rookies, is second in plus-minus rating (plus-10), T-2nd in goals (11), third in points (11-11=22) and is fourth in shots on goal (71)
• D Jared Spurgeon is currently with 110 career goals, tied with Nino Niederreiter for eighth-most in franchise history and needs one goal to tie Eric Staal for seventh-most in franchise history
• Coleman leads Calgary in goals, is T-1st in scoring (13-13=26) and recently skated in his 500th NHL game
• Kadri leads the Flames in assists, is T-1st with Coleman in points (10-16=26) and is six points away from 600 career points

Recent Transactions

Recalled G Zane McIntyre (emergency conditions) and F Nic Petan from Iowa (12/31). 

To view more Recent Transactions, visit wild.com/transactions.

Injury Report

Kaprizov (upper body) did not play against Winnipeg on Sunday (12/31), F Mats Zuccarello (upper body) and Gustavsson are on Injured Reserve and D Jonas Brodin has been placed on Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR).

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

Fast Facts

•  Minnesota is 13-9-4 in its last 26 games against Calgary, beginning in the 2015-16 season
• The Wild owns points in 18 of its last 26 games in Saint Paul (14-8-4 since 2009-10 season)

Game Notes

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