(11-7-25) Wild Vs Islanders: Starting Goaltending Matchup

Wild vs Islanders: Starting Goaltending Matchup

The Minnesota Wild (5-7-3) are on the road tonight to face the New York Islanders (6-5-2). Here is the projected goaltending matchup for the game.

Minnesota Wild Goalie Situation

After starting five consecutive games and playing in yesterday’s loss to Carolina, Filip Gustavsson will sit out tonight. Rookie Jesper Wallstedt is expected to start. Wallstedt, 23, has a 1-0-2 record this season, with a 3.38 goals-against average and a .863 save percentage over ten games.

He has never faced the Islanders before in his career. Overall, Wallstedt holds a 3-3-2 record in the NHL with a 3.34 goals-against average and a .863 save percentage.

New York Islanders Goalie Situation

The Islanders are playing the first game of a back-to-back set. Head coach Patrick Roy confirmed that veteran David Rittich will start tonight, while Ilya Sorokin will start Saturday. Rittich, 33, is 3-1-0 with a 3.01 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage in four games this season.

"Rittich has never played against the Wild last year with the Islanders," said Roy, "but he has had a lot of success against Minnesota in his career."

Rittich’s career record versus the Wild stands at 5-0-1, with a 2.11 goals-against average, a .935 save percentage, and one shutout in six starts.

Summary

This game features promising rookie goaltender Wallstedt against seasoned veteran Rittich, who holds an impressive history against the Wild.

Subscribe for More

For full access to The Hockey News magazine archive, action-packed coverage, and a free issue, subscribe at THN.com/free. Stay updated by subscribing to the newsletter.

Author’s note: Tonight’s goaltender matchup highlights the contrast of rookie potential versus veteran experience, shaping a key battle between these teams.

more

The Hockey News The Hockey News — 2025-11-07

More News