The Minnesota Wild are set to host the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday at 8:00 PM ET. The Wild, who are favored to clinch the victory, will kick off a three-game home stand, while the Flyers start on a three-game road trip.
This Friday's clash marks the second encounter between these two teams this season. Their previous encounter took place in October, resulting in a 6-2 victory for the Flyers. In that game, Flyers’ Bobby Brink made headlines by scoring his first two NHL goals, while Travis Sanheim contributed a goal and two assists, helping secure the team's third consecutive home game win.
Notable performances also came from Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny, each tallying a goal and an assist to add to the Flyers' offensive prowess. Cam Atkinson showcased his playmaking skills with three assists, and goaltender Carter Hart stood strong with 26 saves.
Minnesota's season performance
With a current record of 17-19-4, Minnesota currently holds the seventh spot in the Central Division. As they prepare for a redemption bid on their home turf this Friday, their performance in home games remains solid, boasting a 10-8-2 record.
The Wild, however, faced a setback in their most recent outing on January 10, suffering a 7-2 defeat in the road game against the Dallas Stars. This defeat brought the total number of games in which Minnesota and its opponents surpassed the 6-goal mark to 22 out of 40 this season.
In the last ten games, the Wild have secured four wins and suffered six losses, accumulating 70 percent of possible points. Over this period, they have averaged 2.5 goals per game, totaling 25 goals. They also recorded an average of 4.1 assists, 3.7 penalties, and 9.9 penalty minutes per game. Defensively, the Wild conceded 34 goals at an average of 3.4 goals per game.
Key players contributing to the Wild's performance include Mats Zuccarello, who has notched six goals and 24 assists. Matthew Boldy has also been a standout performer, scoring six goals and providing two assists in the last ten games.
However, the Wild are facing challenges on the injury front, with several key players listed as out. Jared Spurgeon, Sam Hentges, Jonas Brodin, Filip Gustavsson, Kirill Kaprizov, Vinni Lettieri and Caedan Bankier are all sidelined for the upcoming matchup.
Philadelphia's season performance
On the other side of the rink, the Philadelphia Flyers currently hold the fourth spot in the Metropolitan Division, boasting a 21-14-6 overall record and 11-6-4 in road games.
Philadelphia's most recent outing showcased their resilience, as they clinched a shootout victory at home on January 10 against the Montreal Canadiens with a final score of 3-2 (1-0).
Leading the charge for the Flyers is Joel Farabee, who has been instrumental with 12 goals and 18 assists. Travis Konecny has also been in stellar form, contributing five goals and six assists in the past ten games.
Notably, the Flyers have posted a record of 3-4-3 over the last ten games, accumulating 50 percent of possible points. Their offensive efforts have resulted in a scoring average of 2.6 goals per game, complemented by an average of 4.8 assists, 4.9 penalties and 13.8 penalty minutes. Defensively, they have allowed an average of 3.0 goals per game, totaling 30 goals total in these 10 matchups.
Like Minnesota, the Flyers are not without their own set of challenges on the injury front. Noah Cates is sidelined with a foot injury, while Ryan Ellis is out with a lower-body ailment.