{coyotes} WILD (2-0-0) at COYOTES (3-0-0)

Wednesday, 14 October 2015

{coyotes} WILD (2-0-0) at COYOTES (3-0-0)

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Thursday, October 15, 2015

10:00 PM ET

WILD (2-0-0) at COYOTES (3-0-0)

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

Season series: The Minnesota Wild swept three games from the Arizona Coyotes last season, including a 4-3 shootout victory on Dec. 13, 2014, in their only visit to Gila River Arena. Zach Parise and Jason Pominville led the Wild with three points apiece; Antoine Vermette led the Coyotes with two goals and three points.

Wild team scope: Forward Justin Fontaine, who missed Minnesota's first two games with an oblique injury, will be back in the lineup in the opener of a three-game road trip. He'll replace rookie Tyler Graovac, who went on injured reserve with a groin injury. Charlie Coyle, who began training camp at center but had been filling in at Fontaine's spot on right wing, will move back to the middle. The Wild have been off since Saturday, when they defeated the St. Louis Blues 3-2 in their home opener, but coach Mike Yeo said after practice Wednesday he's not a big fan of having a long break this early. "We'd rather be playing early in the season," he told the team website. "Early in the year, it's not like fatigue is a big problem." Goaltender Devan Dubnyk is scheduled to play at Arizona for the first time since being acquired by the Wild from the Coyotes on Jan. 13.

Coyotes team scope: Arizona is 3-0-0 for the first time since the 2003-04 season following a 4-0 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday at Honda Center. Rookie Anthony Duclair had his first NHL hat trick and goaltender Mike Smith stopped 37 shots. "Once we got the lead, I thought we played pretty solid," coach Dave Tippett said. "It was a solid effort all the way through." Duclair's three-goal game was the first by a Coyotes rookie since Daniel Carcillo in 2008. The shutout for Smith was his first since March 4, 2014. Arizona has outscored its three opponents 10-2 and has not trailed in a game this season. Tippett said he hasn't decided whether to play Smith, who has stopped 104 of the 106 shots he has faced, or use backup Anders Lindback, who would see his first action since signing with the Coyotes on July 1.