The Wild will try to sweep the Golden Knights Wednesday at Xcel Energy Center with the same lineup that blanked Vegas 2-0 on Monday.
Kaapo Kahkonen, Wild vying for sweep vs. Golden Knights
Wild goalie Kaapo Kahkonen is on a seven-game win streak.
March 10, 2021 at 4:37PM
Puck drop is 6 p.m.
Kaapo Kahkonen will be back in net, vying for his eighth straight victory.
The goaltender can become just the eighth rookie to earn multiple wins in head-to-head starts against Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury in a single season. No one has accomplished this feat since 2011-12.
During his seven-game win streak, Kahkonen has a 1.42 goals-against average and .947 save percentage. His 26-save performance Monday was his first career shutout.
Forwards Ryan Hartman (lower-body injury) and Marcus Johansson (upper-body injury) are still sidelined, but they skated Wednesday morning, coach Dean Evason said.
Ahead of Monday's game, Evason moved Nick Bjugstad to center between Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello and that trio will remain intact. Same with the Zach Parise, Victor Rask and Kevin Fiala line.
"Obviously, Zuccarello and Kaprizov see each other so well," Evason said. "They play off each other, and we're looking for Bjugy to get to the net with his big body and create a little bit of a bang and crash down there a little bit – simplify a little bit in that area and get to the net. So, he's done that. We're happy with both lines how they set up."
Although Bjugstad had been lining up at wing, he's played center most of his life.
"I've been fortunate enough to get some wing here and there," he said. "Having that in my back pocket, it's good. You're able to move around, and obviously guys get injured and things change. I definitely feel comfortable there."
Projected lineup:
Jordan Greenway-Joel Eriksson Ek-Marcus Foligno
Kirill Kaprizov-Nick Bjugstad-Mats Zuccarello
Zach Parise-Victor Rask-Kevin Fiala
Nico Sturm-Nick Bonino-Kyle Rau
Ryan Suter-Jared Spurgeon
Jonas Brodin-Matt Dumba
Carson Soucy-Ian Cole
Kaapo Kahkonen
Key numbers:
8-2-1: Run for the Wild over its last 11 outings.
2: Goals for winger Kevin Fiala in the last three games.
5: Points for winger Marcus Foligno in three games vs. Vegas.
198: Career points for Foligno.
.727: Win percentage for the Wild against the Golden Knights.
About the Golden Knights:
Vegas captain Mark Stone and defensemen Alex Pietrangelo missed Monday's action due to injury; Stone is a game-time decision, and Pietrangelo is out. That game Monday snapped the Golden Knights' six-game win streak. The 2-0 loss was the second time this season Vegas has been shut out. Overall, the team is 4-7 all-time vs. the Wild. The Golden Knights are also 6-3 on the road this season.
The Wild have been the surprise of the league as their high-scoring winger makes a shambles of team scoring records.
