Minnesota Wild at San Jose Sharks Preview: An old mustache back in town

Minnesota Wild are on a five-game win streak. San Jose Sharks have lost 13 of their last 16 games. The last time the teams met on Nov. 13, Sanjay won in a shootout. Brandon Duhaime is on injured reserve for Minnesota. Tomas Hertl is suspended for the second game of his two-match suspension. James Reimer missed practice on Wednesday. Luke Kunin is out for rest of the season with a torn ACL.

Sharks are last in the league in goals scored per game. They scored 3.25 goals per match in November, but only 3 goals in December. Their top line is going to have their work cut out for them. They are seventh in NHL in percent share of high-danger chances for (HDCF%), but are only scoring on 14.84 percent of those chances.

Minnesota Wild are the league's top team at limiting high-danger chances. San Jose Sharks allow over 8.6 chances per game. Filip Gustavsson has been the better goaltender this season. The Wild re-signed veteran Marc-Andre Fleury. San Francisco Sharks are without injured forward, Hertl.

Ryan Reaves was traded to the Minnesota Wild from the New York Rangers for a 2025 fifth-round pick on Nov. 23. Reves is a fourth-line player who plays a lot of minutes for his team. Minnesota has won four of the last five games since Reveys arrival. The Wild play the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Minnesota and San Francisco are meeting in the NHL All-Star Game.

Minnesota Wild are winning games. They are currently in the top half of the NHL standings.