The top three Minnesota Wild lines will feature a different center this weekend in Sweden after Sunday's 8-3 drubbing at the hands of the Dallas Stars.
With a week of travel, practice and festivities in Stockholm for the NHL's Global Series, the Wild appear set to play with Marco Rossi as the top line center, Joel Eriksson Ek centering the second line and Ryan Hartman in the middle of the third line. Against Dallas, Hartman was on the top line while Rossi and Eriksson Ek centered the second and third lines, respectively.
According to Michael Russo, this is how the Wild skated in Friday's practice ahead of Saturday's game against the Ottawa Senators, which starts at 10 a.m. CT and will be televised on NHL Network and Bally Sports North.
- Kirill Kaprizov-Marco Rossi-Mats Zuccarello
- Marcus Johansson-Joel Eriksson Ek-Matt Boldy
- Marcus Foligno-Ryan Hartman-Patrick Maroon
- Brandon Duhaime-Connor Dewar-Vinni Lettieri
The defensive pairings at Friday's practice were the same with the exception of Dakota Mermis taking a spot on the bench and John Merrill pairing with Zach Bogosian.
- Jonas Brodin-Brock Faber
- Jake Middleton-Jared Spurgeon
- John Merrill-Zach Bogosian
Head coach Dean Evason said Filip Gustavsson will start in goal against the Senators.
Of more concern is how the Wild will change up a penalty kill that allowed five power-play goals to the Stars on Sunday. Dallas had four power-play goals all season before erupting against the woeful Minnesota kill.
Minnesota's high-danger save percentage while on the penalty kill is dead last in the NHL at 55.5%, which says not only are the forwards and defenders playing like garbage on the PK, but Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury aren't making saves.
Overall, the Wild have surrendered a goal 19 times on 52 chances to kill a penalty, putting them on pace to be the worst penalty kill in NHL history. The 1979-80 Los Angeles Kings are the worst ever with a 68.2% kill rate
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