DALLAS — The Wild are expecting an urgent Stars lineup in Game 2 on Wednesday night at American Airlines Center after the Wild won Game 1 in double overtime, but the Wild feel they need to be just as desperate.
"Obviously, that game could have went either way," coach Dean Evason said. "Both teams played great. We catch a bounce at the end, but that means nothing now. Now we gotta validate that Game 1 and have to come out with the same effort."
With "guys banged up," Evason said, the team recalled Sammy Walker from Iowa in the American Hockey League.
Frederick Gaudreau and Marcus Johansson didn't get on the ice at the Wild's morning skate, while Oskar Sundqvist left with the regulars. Sundqvist hasn't played since suffering a lower-body injury on April 6 at Pittsburgh.
Jon Merrill didn't stay late on the ice, which suggests he'll remain in action. John Klingberg, however, did get to skate. He missed Game 1 with a lower-body injury he sustained at practice last Saturday. Joel Eriksson Ek (lower-body injury) also skated but was on the ice after the regulars left.
"They're going to come out swinging," Ryan Reaves said of Dallas. "Lost the first one in their home arena and lost one of their better players [in Joe Pavelski]. It's just like any series no matter the situation that team is going to come out pretty hard, and it's the same situation for us.
"We win one. We gotta forget about it. We gotta come out harder and outmatch their intensity."
Projected lineup
Kirill Kaprizov-Ryan Hartman-Mats Zuccarello
Marcus Johansson-Frederick Gaudreau-Matt Boldy
Gus Nyquist-Sam Steel-Marcus Foligno
Brandon Duhaime-Connor Dewar-Ryan Reaves
Jake Middleton-Jared Spurgeon
Jonas Brodin-Matt Dumba
Jon Merrill-Brock Faber
Filip Gustavsson
Key numbers
— 2: Points for Sam Steel in Game 1, a team high.
— 6: Goals for Kirill Kaprizov in his last six playoff games.
— 17:55: Ice time for Brock Faber in Game 1, his playoffs debut.
— 22-11: Record for the Wild in the postseason when they score first.
— 51: Saves for Filip Gustavsson in Game 1, a Wild playoff record.
About the Stars
Dallas will be without Pavelski, who's in concussion protocol after hitting his head on the ice following a shoulder-to-shoulder check from Matt Dumba in the second period of Game 1. The team recalled Blaine's Riley Tufte from the minors. None of the Stars' goals in their 3-2 double OT loss to the Wild came at even strength. Dallas scored twice on the power play. Jake Oettinger finished with 45 saves in Game 1.
