Wild open season at home vs. Panthers Thursday: Everything you need to know
ST. PAUL, Minn. — With the Twins' postseason hopes dashed and the Vikings floundering, Minnesota sports fans' hopes now rest on the Wild. The team opens its season Thursday night.
The Wild will host the Florida Panthers at home. Here's everything you need to know.
When does the game start?
Puck drop is at 7 p.m.
How can I get tickets?
Tickets for the game are still available on the Wild's website. As of Thursday morning, the cheapest tickets were listed at $42.
Where is the game?
The Wild and Panthers will play at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
Any pregame activities planned?
The team will host a "Green Carpet" in the lobby of the RiverCentre from 3:30 to 5:15 p.m. Current and former players, as well as other celebrities, will walk the carpet before the game.
There is also a pregame party at Herbie's on the Park, just down the street from the X, from 3:30 to 7 p.m.
Who are the experts picking?
The Wild are currently favored, according to SportsLine. CBS Sports' experts are picking Florida to win.
Who is starting in net?
The Wild have not yet announced a starting goalie, though Filip Gustavsson heads into the season as starting netminder and will likely man the pipes on Thursday.
The Panthers have also not announced a starting goalie.
How did the Wild do last season?
The Wild finished with 103 points (46-25-11), good for third in the Central Division.
In all too familiar fashion, they were bounced in the first round of the playoffs. The Dallas Stars beat them in six games, despite the Wild winning two of the first three.