The Wild won't be getting any of its injured players back against the Coyotes on Tuesday at Xcel Energy Center, but the team is still changing up its lineup.
Kaapo Kahkonen will start in net, his first appearance since Nov.21 at Tampa Bay — a 5-4 shootout loss. Cam Talbot played the next three games, going 3-0.
"We've got some games obviously here at home every second night," coach Dean Evason said. "It's just a good opportunity to get him in and get Cam some rest, too."
Captain Jared Spurgeon (lower-body injury) and winger Mats Zuccarello (hand) were on the ice Tuesday morning, but neither player will suit up vs. Arizona. This will be the fifth game Spurgeon has missed; Zuccarello will sit out his second straight.
"They both skated," Evason said. "They're both progressing. As far as a timeline, we don't have one."
Kahkonen was also between the pipes the last time the Wild faced off against the Coyotes, a 5-2 victory at Arizona on Nov.10. That was Kahkonen's second win of the season.
The Coyotes were in action on Monday, blanking the Jets 1-0 in Winnipeg despite getting outshot 46-15 to sit 5-15-2. They still rank second-to-last in the NHL with 12 points.
"Their record might not be the same as other hockey clubs," Evason said, "but their willingness to compete and try to have success is as great as ours. Our group has done a good job, a really good job, of respecting our opponent, not looking past anybody, and again respecting whoever we play."
Projected lineup:
Jordan Greenway-Joel Eriksson Ek-Marcus Foligno
Kirill Kaprizov-Ryan Hartman-Rem Pitlick
Kevin Fiala-Victor Rask-Frederick Gaudreau
Brandon Duhaime-Nico Sturm-Nick Bjugstad
Jonas Brodin-Matt Dumba
Jon Merrill-Alex Goligoski
Jordie Benn-Dmitry Kulikov
Kaapo Kahkonen
Key numbers:
1: Goal by Ryan Hartman in each of his past three games.
4: Goals or more by the Wild in 10 of its last 13 games.
5: Points for Kirill Kaprizov through the first two games on this five-game homestand.
7: Wins by the Wild in nine home games.
16: Wild players with at least a point over the last two games.
About the Coyotes:
After that shutout victory at Winnipeg, the Coyotes have won three of their past five. Winger Antoine Roussel scored for a second straight game. Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere leads the team in points with 15. Three players (forwards Clayton Keller, Lawson Crouse and ex-Gopher Travis Boyd) are tied for the most goals on the Coyotes with five. Arizona has dropped five in a row against the Wild at Xcel Energy Center.
