The Minnesota Wild (5-7-3) will play on the road against the New York Islanders (6-5-2) tonight. Coaches have announced the projected goaltenders for this game.
Jesper Wallstedt is expected to start in goal for the Wild. After five consecutive starts and playing in yesterday's loss to Carolina, Filip Gustavsson will sit out tonight. Wallstedt, 23, has a 1-0-2 record this season with a 3.38 goals-against average (GAA) and a .863 save percentage over ten games. He has never faced the Islanders before. His NHL career overall includes a 3-3-2 record, a 3.34 GAA, and a .863 save percentage.
The Islanders, who are playing the first game of a back-to-back, will start veteran David Rittich tonight, with Ilya Sorokin scheduled to start Saturday. Head coach Patrick Roy confirmed the decision. Rittich, 33, has a strong start this season with a 3-1-0 record in four games, a 3.01 GAA, and a .902 save percentage. He did not play against the Wild last year.
"Rittich has had significant success against the Wild in his career, holding a 5-0-1 record with a 2.11 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage, including one shutout in six starts."
Both teams look to leverage their goaltending strengths in tonight's matchup.
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Author's summary: Jesper Wallstedt and David Rittich start in goal for tonight’s Wild vs. Islanders game, highlighting contrasting career records and strategic goaltending choices.