The Minnesota Wild (15-8-4) is back in action tonight against the Vancouver Canucks (10-15-3) to continue its road trip before returning home on Tuesday.
Minnesota is looking to get back into the win column tonight. They are 16-4-0 in its last 20 games vs. Vancouver, 5-1-0 in the last five meetings and 12-5-0 in the last 17 games played in Vancouver.
Connections:
Wild Assistant Coach Jason King was selected by Vancouver in the seventh round (212th overall) of the 2001 NHL Draft and recorded 12 goals and 23 points in 55 games in parts of two seasons with the Canucks (2002-04). King also served as an Assistant Coach for Vancouver for three seasons (2020-23) and five seasons as an Assistant Coach with the Canucks AHL affiliate in Utica (2016-20).
Brett McLean was an Assistant Coach for the Iowa Wild for three seasons (2017-20), spent three seasons as an Assistant Coach with Minnesota (2020-23) and two seasons as the Iowa Wild Head Coach (2023-25). He is the Canucks assistant coach right now.
Stats:
Vladimir Tarasenko led the Wild with one goal and three points in Minnesota’s 5-2 win over the Canucks in St. Paul in November. He leads the Wild in goals (13) and points (32) in 32 career games against the Canucks.
Evander Kane, who was held off the scoresheet in the first meeting, leads Vancouver with 13 goals and 22 points in 34 career games against Minnesota.
Nikita Tolopilo has not faced Minnesota and neither has Jesper Wallstedt against Vancouver. The two rookie goalies will square off tonight.
Milestones:
Mats Zuccarello enters play one assist shy from passing Pierre-Marc Bouchard (241) for the fourth most in Wild history.
Kirill Kaprizov currently owns 69 career power-play goals, tied with Zach Parise for the franchise record. He ranks third in franchise history with 142 power-play points (69-73=142), trailing Mikko Koivu (251) and Marian Gaborik (145).
Yakov Trenin leads the NHL in hits with 131.
Kiefer Sherwood is second in the NHL in hits with 119.
Records:
Minnesota is 15-8-4 which is third in the Central Division and fifth in the NHL.
Minnesota is 8-1-1 in its last ten games and 12-2-2 since Nov 1. Ranks third in the NHL in that span behind Dallas and Colorado.
Vancouver is 10-15-3 which is last in the Pacific Division and 32nd in the NHL.
Vancouver is 2-6-2 in its last ten games and 4-9-3 since Nov 1. Ranks 32nd in the NHL in that span.
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