Wild-Flames game preview: Sammy Walker recalled from Iowa, Vinni Lettieri goes to IR

vs. Calgary Flames, Xcel Energy Center, 7 p.m. Tuesday

TV; radio: BSN; 100.3 FM

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Pregame reading: Opposing players and teammates talk about their love for Marc-Andre Fleury.

Lineup update: The Wild called up Sammy Walker from Iowa of the AHL and put another forward, Vinni Lettieri, on injured reserve Tuesday because of a lower-body injury. Walker, a former Gophers captain from Edina, has five goals in 28 games at Iowa, and has played in two games this season for the Wild. Wild coach John Hynes said at morning skate that winger Marcus Foligno was questionable because of a lingering injury.

Tuesday news: Ryan Hartman of the Wild was fined $4,427.08, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for high-sticking Winnipeg's Cole Perfetti during Sunday's game at Xcel Energy Center.

Opening bell: The adversity facing the Wild keeps intensifying. They've had more players get injured, and now they're coming off a weekend sweep by the rival Jets that widened Winnipeg's lead over the Wild (16-15-4) to 12 points. The Flames arrive in St. Paul after ditching their own two-game losing streak with a 4-3 win vs. the Flyers on Sunday night. Calgary (15-16-5) is 4-4-2 in its last 10 games.

Injuries: Wild D Jonas Brodin (upper body), G Filip Gustavsson (lower body), LW Kirill Kaprizov (upper body), RW Vinni Lettieri (lower body) and RW Mats Zuccarello (upper body). Flames D Oliver Kylington (personal) and LW Jakob Pelletier (upper body).

Forecast: The Wild have had the upper hand in this matchup lately, and Gustavsson is a big reason. He's undefeated against the Flames this season (2-0), and the goalie is 5-0-1 in his career vs. Calgary. But he's sidelined, and the Wild will need find a different spark in their circumstances. This is only the second time they've dropped consecutive games under Hynes, and their last loss snapped their seven-game win streak at home. Plus, Fleury could have another chance at history. That might be all the motivation the Wild need to hit the reset button.

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