7 p.m. vs. Boston • Xcel Energy Center • NBCSN, 100.3-FM RADIO
Preview: The Wild, 2-2-1 in its past five at home, opens a four-game homestand. It's not often you get a nationally televised game where both teams played the night before, but that's just what the NHL scheduled here. The Wild played at Chicago, the Bruins at Nashville. The Wild, 12-2-1 all-time vs. Boston, is 2-0-1 in the second of back-to-backs (including a 4-3 come-from-behind win at Boston on Oct. 28); the Bruins are 0-5. The Wild is 7-1-1 in its past nine games vs. the Bruins — six of those decided by one goal.
Players to watch: Wild G Niklas Backstrom is expected to start. He is 5-0-1 in six starts vs. the Bruins with a 1.32 goals-against average, .957 save percentage and two shutouts. LW Thomas Vanek leads the Wild with 30 goals and 63 points in 56 games against the Bruins, his most points vs. any NHL team. D Ryan Suter and RW Jason Pominville are expected to play their 700th games. Bruins G Niklas Svedberg might make his first career start vs. Minnesota. The Swede is 3-4 with a 2.28 goals-against average and .922 save percentage.
Numbers: Minnesota tallied 42 shots against the Bruins on Oct. 28, becoming just the sixth team to post 40-plus shots at TD Garden since 2011-12. … The Bruins are 3-for-43 (7 percent) on power plays in 15 all-time meetings vs. the Wild; the Wild is 17-for-61 (27.9 percent) vs. Boston.
Injuries: Wild D Keith Ballard (concussion/facial fractures), LW Ryan Carter (shoulder) and LW Matt Cooke (hip flexor) are out; D Jared Spurgeon (illness), Darcy Kuemper (sick) are questionable. Bruins C David Krejci (hip) is questionable. LW Simon Gagne (personal) and D Adam McQuaid (thumb) are out.
MICHAEL RUSSO