Minnesota Wild forwards Joel Eriksson Ek and defenseman Jonas Brodin will sit out Game 3 of the second-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche (0-2) due to injuries. Eriksson Ek is sidelined with a lower-body injury, while Brodin will miss his fourth consecutive game after blocking a shot by Mikko Rantanen during Game 5 against Dallas.
Goaltender Jesper Wallstedt will start for Minnesota in Game 3. “That was the plan. Wallstedt was a bit tired after a tough game, we had Gustavsson, and we gave him a chance to play. Wallstedt got some rest and recovery time and is now ready to return. There was nothing extraordinary about this decision – we just tried to do what’s best for both the goalies and the team,” said Wild head coach John Hynes.
