Minnesota Wild F Zach Parise placed on NHL's COVID-19 Protocol List
Minnesota Wild Left Wing Zach Parise (11) on the ice for a face-off during the third period of a game against the Anaheim Ducks played on February 18, 2021 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. ((Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Wild face the Anaheim Ducks in a rare Wednesday afternoon game at Xcel Energy Center, but it’s not without some uncertainty.
The Wild beat the Ducks 2-1 Monday night at Xcel Energy Center. On Tuesday, four Ducks’ players were placed on the NHL’s COVID-19 Protocol List. Danton Heinen, Ben Hutton, Jacob Larsson and Anthony Stolarz will not be available for Anaheim against the Wild.
Heinen, Hutton and Larsson dressed for Monday’s game. Hutton had 13:37 in time on ice, and Larsson had 16 minutes.
The Ducks did not practice Tuesday, and the Wild didn’t skate Tuesday or Wednesday. Wild coach Dean Evason said the game is still on and they’ve done their daily COVID-19 testing.
"We just go about our business and we’ll get told what happens," Evason said Wednesday afternoon.
The Wild learned before puck drop against the Ducks that forward Zach Parise has been placed on the league's COVID-19 Protocol List. Earlier this season, the Wild had to go on a nearly two-week pause and and had six games postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the team.
Evason also may have gotten some good news on defenseman Matt Dumba. He’s missed the last two games with a lower body injury and won’t play Wednesday, but could return Thursday against the St. Louis Blues at Xcel Energy Center. In last Thursday’s loss at Colorado, Dumba lost an edge and crashed into the boards, and didn’t return.
"Definitely day to day," Evason said.
The Wild is currently in the No. 3 spot in the Honda West at 39 points, four behind Colorado and six behind the Vegas Golden Knights.