EDMONTON, Alberta – The months of uncertainty, a second edition of training camp and then relocating to a bubble in Edmonton, all of that could end up culminating in just four games for the Wild unless the team staves off elimination Friday night when it takes on the Canucks in the best-of-five play-in series.
Puck drop for Game 4 is 9:45 p.m., barely a day after Vancouver blanked the Wild 3-0 in Game 3 on Thursday afternoon.
"Right back at them," winger Marcus Foligno said.
Perhaps the urgency of a must-win game will help the Wild, the reality of what's at stake perfectly clear. But the team still has some questions to answer.
First of all, will Ryan Suter play? The defenseman left the action late in the third period Thursday and did not return. Coach Dean Evason didn't have an update on Suter's status after the game, and the team didn't hold media availability before Game 4.
If he can't go, Matt Bartkowski seems to be next in line on the depth chart.
The other issue with the Wild is its scoring woes; not only has the team yet to convert at 5-on-5 through three games, but the power play is in a 0-for-14 rut.
Whether or not the offense gets going will likely decide the Wild's fate.
