St. Paul. MN (My Sportsbook) - The Minnesota Wild will try and get back on the winning track when they wrap up a four-game homestand with the
Calgary Flames Tuesday at the Xcel Energy Center.
Minnesota, after going 3-0-1 in its first four, suffered its first setback of the season to the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings Saturday, 5-3.
Bill Muckalt had a goal and two assists for the Wild and leads the team with four goals and seven points through the first five games. Last season in 70 games with the Ottawa Senators Muckalt recorded just eight assists and did not net a goal.
Muckalt's linemates, Antti Laaksonen and Wes Walz also lit the lamp, as the trio combined for all three goals, had seven points and were a stellar plus- eight on the game.
Dwayne Roloson stopped 32 shots for the Wild, who are off to their second quick start in as many years. Last year Minnesota started 3-0-3, but finished 26-35-12-9 and 12th place in the competitive Western Conference.
Cliff Ronning was held off the scoresheet on Saturday and remains one point shy of 800 for his career (281g,518a). Ronning has tallied 39 points (14g,25a) in 58 career games versus Calgary.
The Flames saw their three-game unbeaten streak stopped Monday when they were blanked 4-0 by the Red Wings.
Calgary, which was blanked for the second time this season, finished 0-for-9 on the power play. Dan CLoutier and the Vancouver Canucks shut out the Flames in their first game of the season.
Jamie McClennan saw his first action of the season between the pipes and stopped 29 shots, but allowed a pair of shorthanded goals in the second period. Roman Turek is expected back tonight.
Tonight will also be a homecoming of sorts for Flames rookie defenseman Jordan Leopold, who is a native of Golden Valley, Minnesota and won the Hobey Baker Award last year as the best player in the NCAA as he led the University of Minnesota to a national championship. He also led NCAA defensemen in scoring with 47 points.
Leopold, who was acquired by the Flames from the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim via trade in 2000, made his debut on Saturday after missing his team's first four games because of a concussion.
Calgary is 5-1-2 in its last eight meetings with the Wild and is 2-1-1 in the last four in Minnesota.