So the Predators are something like 120-0-0 at home this season, therefore expecting an easy game.
WILD (31-22-7) at PREDATORS (41-13-7)
TV: NBCSN
Season series: The Nashville Predators have defeated the Minnesota Wild twice at Xcel Energy Center. This is the first of three games at Bridgestone Arena over the final eight weeks.
Wild team scope: Minnesota will welcome forward Sean Bergenheim to the lineup after the Wild acquired the left wing in a trade from the Florida Panthers on Tuesday. Bergenheim has eight goals and 10 assists and has a plus-2 rating in 39 games. He is expected to skate on Minnesota’s fourth line and perhaps help on the penalty kill. “He’s a big body and he’s going to hound pucks, which would fit the way we want to play the game,†Wild coach Mike Yeo said Tuesday. “Great work ethic, goes well to the net. What I like is, he’s good in both ends of the ice.†Goaltender Devan Dubnyk has allowed two goals or fewer in each of his past four games and is likely to start.
Predators team scope: Nashville got some good news Wednesday; defenseman Anton Volchenkov returned to practice. Volchenkov has missed the past six games with a lower-body injury; his timetable for returning to the lineup is unknown. The Predators started their final homestand in February with a 5-2 win against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday. Goaltender Pekka Rinne made 18 saves and is the likely starter. Nashville will have played 10 home games this month after a game Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings. The Predators are 7-1-0 at home in February and 15-1-0 there dating to Dec. 16.
Wild lineups:
Suters dogs (Favre & Cal, clearly named after Brett & Clutterbuck)
Predators lineups:
Webers dog (Dug)
WILD (31-22-7) at PREDATORS (41-13-7)
TV: NBCSN
Season series: The Nashville Predators have defeated the Minnesota Wild twice at Xcel Energy Center. This is the first of three games at Bridgestone Arena over the final eight weeks.
Wild team scope: Minnesota will welcome forward Sean Bergenheim to the lineup after the Wild acquired the left wing in a trade from the Florida Panthers on Tuesday. Bergenheim has eight goals and 10 assists and has a plus-2 rating in 39 games. He is expected to skate on Minnesota’s fourth line and perhaps help on the penalty kill. “He’s a big body and he’s going to hound pucks, which would fit the way we want to play the game,†Wild coach Mike Yeo said Tuesday. “Great work ethic, goes well to the net. What I like is, he’s good in both ends of the ice.†Goaltender Devan Dubnyk has allowed two goals or fewer in each of his past four games and is likely to start.
Predators team scope: Nashville got some good news Wednesday; defenseman Anton Volchenkov returned to practice. Volchenkov has missed the past six games with a lower-body injury; his timetable for returning to the lineup is unknown. The Predators started their final homestand in February with a 5-2 win against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday. Goaltender Pekka Rinne made 18 saves and is the likely starter. Nashville will have played 10 home games this month after a game Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings. The Predators are 7-1-0 at home in February and 15-1-0 there dating to Dec. 16.
Wild lineups:
Suters dogs (Favre & Cal, clearly named after Brett & Clutterbuck)
Predators lineups:
Webers dog (Dug)
