Bruins Face Wild in Key Matchup Amid Injury Concerns

SAINT PAUL, Minn. — The Boston Bruins will aim to extend their winning streak as they face the Minnesota Wild in a critical NHL matchup Sunday afternoon at the Xcel Energy Center. The game, set to begin at 3:30 p.m. ET, will be broadcast on TNT, truTV, MAX, NESN, SN360, and TVAS.

Boston enters the game after a hard-fought 3-2 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. Despite the outcome, the Bruins were left concerned over the status of star forward Brad Marchand, who left the ice with an upper-body injury incurred from a hit by Penguins defenseman P.O. Joseph just under six minutes into the first period. Marchand is considered unlikely to play against Minnesota.

“He obviously didn’t return to the game. I’ll probably know more tomorrow,” said Bruins coach Joe Sacco after the Pittsburgh game. “I thought that he was tripped into the boards, and it was a tough spot for him.”

As the Bruins attempt to sweep the weekend, they will be without Marchand and several other key players. Charlie McAvoy (shoulder), Hampus Lindholm (knee), and Trent Frederic (lower body) are also sidelined. Boston’s projected lineup include forwards Morgan Geekie, Pavel Zacha, and David Pastrnak, along with goaltenders Jeremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Wild are looking to snap a three-game skid that included a 5-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Friday. The Wild have recently bolstered their roster by acquiring Gustav Nyquist from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Despite this move, the team will be without key players due to injuries, including Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek, both dealing with lower-body injuries.

The Wild will also be missing defenseman Zach Bogosian and Jonas Brodin, who is out with an undisclosed injury. Minnesota’s projected lineup includes forwards Marcus Johansson, Marco Rossi, and Mats Zuccarello, alongside goaltenders Filip Gustavsson and Marc-André Fleury.

In their last meeting on February 4, the Bruins shut out the Wild 3-0, with Marc-André Fleury recording a 94.1% save percentage after stopping 32 of 34 shots. Boston’s performance against Minnesota earlier in the month certainly provides some confidence as they prepare for this key matchup.

The game will mark the start of a busy week for both teams as the Bruins look to host the Nashville Predators on Tuesday while the Wild will try to put an end to their recent struggles.