7 p.m. Friday and Saturday vs. San Jose Xcel Energy Center • BSN, 100.3-FM
Wild vs. San Jose two-game preview
April 16, 2021 at 3:40AM
Even matchup ends homestand
Preview: The Wild finishes off this homestand with back-to-back games against the Sharks. This season, the Wild has gone 2-2-1 vs. San Jose. The Sharks won the past two meetings, first edging the Wild 4-3 in an eight-round shootout, then pulling away for a 4-2 victory two nights later. The Wild has won 13 of its past 14 games at Xcel Energy Center.
Players to watch: Wild RW Nick Bonino has four points in his past four games. LW Zach Parise is coming off his third multi-point game of the season. … Sharks F Patrick Marleau is at 1,765 career games, so if he plays in both games against the Wild he will tie Gordie Howe for the NHL record. D Erik Karlsson has a goal and two assists over his past five games.
Numbers: The Wild has nine power-play goals over its past three home games. Parise has 398 career points with the Wild. … San Jose has lost three in a row and four of its last five. The Sharks are 10-10-2 on the road.
Injuries: Wild RW Nick Bjugstad (upper body) is out. Sharks LW Matt Nieto (lower body) and D Marc-Edouard Vlasic (upper body) are also out.
Sarah McLellan
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Daemon Hunt was assigned to Iowa and Ben Jones was placed on waivers, leaving the Wild roster at 27 with four of those players injured.
