Wild vs Islanders: Starting Goaltending Matchup
The Minnesota Wild (5-7-3) face the New York Islanders (6-5-2) on the road tonight. The key focus is on the goaltender matchup between rookie Jesper Wallstedt and veteran David Rittich.
Minnesota Wild Goaltending Situation
After five consecutive starts and a recent game against Carolina, Filip Gustavsson will not play tonight. Jesper Wallstedt, 23, is expected to start. This season, Wallstedt is 1-0-2 with a 3.38 goals-against average (GAA) and a .863 save percentage across ten games.
Wallstedt has never faced the Islanders before, neither last season nor in his career. His NHL record stands at 3-3-2 with a 3.34 GAA and a .863 save percentage.
New York Islanders Goaltending Update
The Islanders begin a back-to-back tonight, with head coach Patrick Roy confirming David Rittich as the starter. Ilya Sorokin is set to start the following game.
Rittich, 33, holds a 3-1-0 record this season in four games, with a 3.01 GAA and a .902 save percentage. Though he did not play against the Wild last year, his career record against Minnesota is outstanding.
He is 5-0-1 with a 2.11 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage, including one shutout in six career starts against the Wild.
Summary
This matchup pits a young Wild rookie against a seasoned Islanders netminder known for his strong historical performance against Minnesota, setting the stage for an intriguing game.
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Author's summary: Jesper Wallstedt will start for the Wild against veteran David Rittich, who has a strong career record versus Minnesota, highlighting an intriguing goaltending duel tonight.