Gameday Thread: Wild at Sharks (9:30 p.m.)

Off a four-day break the Minnesota Wild are back on the road this week starting in San Jose. The Sharks haven’t defeated a non-California team since March 1st when they beat the Colorado Avalanche 6-2, so here’s hoping the Wild can keep that trend going and press their win streak to four.

Some lineup changes for the Wild (per Russo): Luke Johnson will Joseph Cramarossa’s spot in the lineup, filling in for Zach Parise who is still on the COVID list. Johnson will center Nico Sturm and Nick Bjugstad, while Nick Bonino take the right wing spot on a line with Joel Eriksson Ek at center and Jordan Greenway on the left wing.

As for the Sharks, San Jose beat writer Kevin Kurz reports that Patrick Marleau will center a new-look fourth line featuring Marcus Sorensen and will feature the NHL debut of Jeffrey Viel. Former Wild player Ryan Donato will be on the third line with Dylan Gambrell his center and John Leonard on the opposite wing.

Cam Talbot between the pipes for the Wild, Martin Jones in net for San Jose.

It’s another road trip, so get set for the first in a bunch of late nights this week.

Minnesota Wild vs. San Jose Sharks

When: 9:30 p.m. CT

Where: SAP Center

TV: Fox Sports North

Radio: KFAN 100.3 FM

Projected Lines

Minnesota Wild

Kaprizov - Rask - Zuccarello

Fiala - Newman - Johansson

Greenway - Eriksson Ek - Bonino

Johnson - Sturm - Bjugstad

Suter - Spurgeon

Brodin - Dumba

Cole - Soucy

Talbot

Out: Zach Parise (COVID), Marcus Foligno (lower body)

San Jose Sharks

Kane - Couture - Labanc

Balcers - Hertl - Meier

Donato - Gambrell - Leonard

Viel - Marleau - Sorensen

Ferraro - Burns

Knyzhov - Karlsson

Simek - Vlasic

Jones

Out: Matt Nieto (lower body)