Wild Gameday
7 p.m. vs. Tampa Bay • Xcel Energy Center • FSN, 100.3-FM
Preview: After a 9-4-1 January, the Wild opened February by rallying from a 3-1 deficit in Calgary on Saturday only to lose 4-3 in overtime. This is the first of a two-game homestand before a 20-day break for the Olympics. This is the fourth and final game of Tampa Bay’s road trip (1-2 so far). Second in the Atlantic Division, the Lightning beat the Wild 3-1 in Tampa on Oct. 17.
Players to watch: Wild LW Zach Parise has three goals and five assists in the past three games. D Jonas Brodin will skate in his 100th game. Lightning C Tyler Johnson, who attended two Wild development camps and prospect tournaments, is second among NHL rookies with 17 goals and 35 points. D Victor Hedman is seventh among NHL defensemen with 36 points. Former Minnesota Duluth national champ J.T. Brown has 12 points in 36 games.
Numbers: F Martin St. Louis, 16th in the NHL with 53 points, is the Lightning’s all-time leading scorer with 945 points and ranks first with 584 assists, 28 shorthanded goals and 63 game-winning goals. He ranks second in Lightning history with 965 games, 361 goals, 95 power-play goals and 2,601 shots.
Injuries: Wild D Jared Spurgeon (broken foot) is expected to return. C Mikko Koivu (ankle surgery) and G Josh Harding (illness) are out. Tampa Bay F Valtteri Filppula (lower body) is a game-time decision. C Steven Stamkos (tibia), G Anders Lindback (ankle) and D Mattias Ohlund (knee) are out.
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