{coyotes} COYOTES (2-2-1) at WILD (2-2-0)

Wednesday 22 October 2014

{coyotes} COYOTES (2-2-1) at WILD (2-2-0)

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COYOTES (2-2-1) at WILD (2-2-0)

TV: FS-A, FS-N, FS-WI

Thursday, October 23, 2014

8:00 PM ET

Season series: This is the first game of the season between the Minnesota Wild and Arizona Coyotes. Minnesota won two of the three games last season, including both in Arizona. The Coyotes won the lone game at Xcel Energy Center 3-1 last Nov. 27. Coyotes forward Mikkel Boedker scored three of his career-high 19 goals last season against Minnesota, scoring once in each game. Wild forward Justin Fontaine became the first rookie in franchise history to net a hat trick in the second game between the teams last season, scoring three goals in a 4-1 win Jan. 9.

Coyotes team scope: Arizona will look to get back on track after two consecutive losses. The Coyotes lost 4-3 in a shootout Tuesday against the Nashville Predators in their first road game of the season. Arizona is expected to go with the same lineup as in Nashville. Captain Shane Doan did not practice Wednesday in Minnesota, but coach Dave Tippett said it was just a maintenance day for the veteran. Goalie Mike Smith, who has struggled in the early going, will get the start. Smith has allowed six goals in two of his three starts and four in the other. Smith is 4-6-1 with a 2.13 goals-against average and .912 save percentage in 11 games (nine starts) against the Wild. He's also posted two shutouts.

Wild team scope: Minnesota will play its fifth game in the first 14 days of the season, and first at home since opening night. The Wild had five days off between the second half of a home-and-home against the Colorado Avalanche and their game against the Anaheim Ducks last Friday. Following the game against the Ducks and a Sunday date with the Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota has had three more days of rest. Coach Mike Yeo said it's a group that's sick of practicing. "It’s too much time off," Yeo said. "We're our own biggest rivalry right now with each other. We gotta start playing some games." The Wild have flexibility on the back end with eight defensemen on the roster. Keith Ballard and Christian Folin will be in the lineup Thursday, while Nate Prosser and Matt Dumba are healthy scratches. Darcy Kuemper will get the start in goal.

Team Stats