Wild vs. Ducks: ‘The thrill’ is back in St. Paul

The Minnesota Wild had two players named to the Central Division squad for the upcoming NHL All-Star Game.

Just one will be on the ice  Friday night against Anaheim, but that should give the crowd at the Xcel Energy Center a ‘thrill’.

Kirill Kaprizov, who was named to the All-Star Game along with goalie Cam Talbot on Thursday, is back in lineup after missing one game with an upper-body injury. He is listed on the first line along with Ryan Hartman and Mats Zuccarello.

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Hartman is among the eight players who are part of the “Last Man In” ballot for the Central Division squad.

Talbot will miss his third straight game after suffering an upper-body injury in the Winter Classic matchup with St. Louis.

Joel Eriksson Ek was on pace to return to the ice on Friday after missing more than three weeks with an upper-body injury but tested positive for COVID-19, the team announced on Thursday.

Minnesota forwards Jordan Greenway and Brandon Duhaime are back in the lineup after missing the previous two games due to the league’s NHL COVID-19 protocol.

The Wild, who sit in fourth place in the Central Division, are vying for a third-straight win. Nashville leads the division with 50 points but has played five more games than the Wild.

Minnesota won both of the previous matchups with the Ducks this season, including a 4-3 overtime victory on Oct. 23.  That is part of a current nine-game winning streak against Anaheim, and Minnesota is 11-1-1 in its last 13 matchups with the Ducks.

Lineups 

Kaapo Kahkonen makes his third straight start in the net, having allowed just two goals in both of the previous two. .

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Betting odds

The Wild vs. Ducks odds on WynnBET has Minnesota favored by 1.5 goals at home. The Wild are also the favorite on the moneyline at -155 with the Ducks listed as the underdog at -135.. The total over/under for goals is listed at 5.5.

Upcoming Wild schedule

Monday, Jan. 17: @Colorado, 2 p.m. CST

Friday, Jan. 21: @Chicago, 7:30 p.m. CST

Saturday, Jan 22: Chicago, 8 p.m.,  CST