Flyers vs. Wild: How to Watch, Lineups, Keys to the Game

The enjoyment of Wednesday night's win on home ice against the Capitals, the first for the Philadelphia Flyers (30-23-11) since Feb. 28, will only last so long. The Flyers are right back in action on Thursday night to take on the Minnesota Wild (38-16-11) on the road at 8 PM.

How to Watch

Time: 8 PM
Location: Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, MN
TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: Rock 104.1 and the Rock 104.1 Free Mobile App
Streaming: ESPN+

Projected Flyers Lines vs. Wild

Injury & Roster Updates

Lineup Updates: No changes are anticipated to the Flyers' lineup for Thursday's game.
Starting Goalie: Dan Vladar gets the start for the Flyers. Vladar struggled in his last start on Monday, allowing six goals on 24 shots against the Rangers. He made 15 saves on 16 shots in a win over Minnesota on Oct. 18.
Injuries
- Rodrigo Abols: fractured ankle, out at least two months from Jan. 21
- Tyson Foerster: surgery on right arm on Dec. 17, out five months.

Opponent Snapshot: Minnesota Wild

Opponent record: 38-16-11
Special Teams Ranking
- Power Play: 25.2% (4th)
- Penalty Kill: 78.6% (20th)
Who’s hot?: Kirill Kaprizov has points in 15 of the last 17 games, totalling 12 goals and 26 points in that time. Matt Boldy has nine goals and 23 points in his last 14 games. Quinn Hughes is on a five-game points streak and has 25 points in the last 17 games.
Who’s in net?: Jesper Wallstedt gets the start for the Wild. Wallstedt made 34 saves on 36 shots in a shootout loss to Colorado in his last start on Sunday. He has a 14-6-5 record with a 2.81 GAA and .913 save percentage this season. Wallstedt made 19 saves on 21 shots in an overtime loss to the Flyers on Oct. 18.
Injuries: Marcus Foligno is currently on injured reserve.

Keys to the Game

Bounce Back Effort: It hasn't been often this season that Dan Vladar hasn't delivered, but he struggled on Monday night. He'll get the start in this game and be looking for a performance much more aligned with his season numbers.
New Face: The Flyers defeated the Wild in October, but that was long before they added Quinn Hughes to the defensive mix. Hughes has six goals and 64 points this season.
Dynamic Duo: The duo of Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy have combined for 73 goals and 151 points this season. Containing them is critical to any success.

By the Numbers

The Flyers are on a current three-game winning streak on the road. They have a 15-12-4 record on the road this season.
The Flyers have a 7-4-1 record against the Central Division this season. The Wild are 6-6-2 against the Metropolitan Division.
The Flyers have picked up more points in the standings in the 10 games in February and March (13) than they did in 15 games in January (11).

Quotable

"I think that's the next step for him, if he brings that every night. He starts giving himself more space. He doesn't just have to use his legs. When he plays physical, guys will kind of play off him a little bit and then his skill will take over. He's just got so much potential, and I love when you see him realize it during a game and he's like 'this is my game, I'm taking over.' It's fun to watch. Awesome player, awesome guy." - Travis Konecny on Owen Tippett

X-Factors

Noah Cates: Cates scored the overtime winner against the Wild in October, and has put together some solid games. He has points in five of the last seven games and is four goals and six points away from matching his career highs.
Bobby Brink: The Flyers traded Brink to Minnesota less than a week ago, but the forward has had an immediate impact. Brink played the day of the trade deadline, arriving in Vegas to join the Wild one night after his final game as a Flyer. He scored his first goal with Minnesota in a win over Utah on Tuesday.

Kevin Durso is Flyers insider for 97.3 ESPN. Follow him on social media @Kevin_Durso.