Wild recall seven players as Black Aces before Game 2
Photo credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Wild recalled seven players Monday to serve as Black Aces ahead of tonight's Game 2 against the Dallas Stars, a standard playoff roster move that also signals something about the team's depth heading into this series.
Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Hunter Haight, and Ben Jones were called up at forward.
Defensemen Carson Lambos and David Spacek also got the call.
Goaltenders Riley Mercer and Chase Wutzke round out the group.
None of these seven are expected to play tonight, but they'll be in the building and available if something breaks down the Wild's roster.
That's the whole point of Black Aces. You're not celebrating a roster move. You're insuring against disaster.
Wild take 1-0 series lead after dominant Game 1 showing
Minnesota already holds a 1-0 series lead after a 6-1 blowout win in Game 1 on Saturday in Dallas, which is a very different kind of position than what these recalled players represent.
Kirill Kaprizov had 1 goal and 2 assists in Game 1, picking up right where he left off after posting 89 points in the regular season.
Matthew Boldy added 2 goals and 1 assist in that opener, a player who finished the year with 85 points.
The Wild finished the regular season 46-24-12 with 104 points, ranked seventh overall in the league.
Dallas countered with 112 points and a 50-20-12 record. This is not a mismatch on paper.
The Stars came into the playoffs on a five-game winning streak. That's the backdrop the Wild are walking into tonight, even up 1-0.
Jesper Wallstedt started Game 1 and stopped everything in front of him, posting a .964 save percentage in that playoff outing.
Minnesota went 3-1 against Dallas in the regular season, including a 6-1 win in the regular season finale on April 9 and an overtime win on March 21. The Wild have won four of their last five against the Stars across all formats.
Bill Guerin's front office built enough organizational depth to send seven players to serve as backup insurance tonight. That's not a small thing.
Whether Wallstedt can replicate that Game 1 performance in what figures to be a much harder fight, that's the question this series hasn't answered yet.
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