The Minnesota Wild (22-14-3, 47 points, 3rd Central) pay a visit to the Big Apple and Madison Square Garden on Tuesday for an NHL showdown with the New York Rangers (22-12-7, 51 points, 3rd Metro). Minnesota lost to the St. Louis Blues on Sunday 3-0 and has lost two straight. New York was defeated by the New Jersey Devils 4-3 on Saturday. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Rangers. Marc-Andre Fleury, Jordan Greenway and Mats Zuccarello are all questionable. Jonny Brodzinski is out for the Rangers.
Minnesota is allowing an average of 2.85 goals per game, which is 11th in the NHL. The Wild are holding opponents to an average of 29.9 shots per game which is ninth best in the league. Minnesota's penalty-kill unit successfully holds opponents scoreless 78.5% of the time the Wild are short-handed which is 16th best in the NHL. Marc-Andre Fleury is 13-8-2 with a 2.94 goals-against average and .901 save percentage in 25 appearances. Backup goalie Filip Gustavsson is 9-6-1 with a 2.25 goals-against average and .924 save percentage. Gustavsson could play if Fleury is unable to. Both goalies each have one shutout this season.
Minnesota is scoring an average of 3.15 goals per game which is 15th in the NHL. The Wild are taking an average of 31.3 shots per game which is 18th. Minnesota’s power-play scores 24.4% of the time the Wild have the man advantage which is 10th best in hockey. Kirill Kaprizov is the stats leader across the board for Minnesota with team highs in goals scored with 23, assists with 25 and points with 48. Mats Zuccarello, who is questionable for Tuesday, is second in goals scored with 16, second in assists with 24 and in points with 40. Minnesota has 30 power play goals in 39 games.