PAUL - The Minnesota Wild (28-15-4) are in action tonight against the Utah Hockey Club (20-19-7) for the third meeting between the two teams this year. The Wild are welcoming Kirill Kaprizov and Jared Spurgeon into the lineup tonight.

ST. PAUL - The Minnesota Wild held a practice on Wednesday and are set to host the Utah Hockey Club for a game on Thursday night. The Wild have some positive news surrounding the team. Kirill Kaprizov and Jared Spurgeon were full participants during practice and seem likely to return to the lineup on Thursday.

ST. PAUL - The Minnesota Wild (28-15-4) have been without their superstar forward Kirill Kaprizov since December 27th. He is set to return tonight against the Utah Hockey Club (20-19-7). Kaprizov, 27, missed the last 12 games with a lower-body injury. He was originally given a day-to-day timeline which eventually turned out to be four weeks.

It has been two months since we did a Wild mailbag and several months since we did an ‘Ask Russo and Smith’ mailbag, but with Joe back on the clock, there’s no better time to answer many of your questions.

The Predators, meanwhile, seek just their second three-game winning streak this season. After falling 4-1 to the Washington Capitals last Saturday to start a five-game homestand, coach Andrew Brunette's team beat the Vegas Golden Knights 5-3 on Tuesday and followed it up with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.

The Minnesota Wild and Nashville Predators met for the third time this season and the first in Nashville on Saturday, Jan. 18. The Wild had a boost to their lineup on the injury front as they got both Jakub Lauko and Brock Faber back,

Barrett Hayton scored two goals, and the Utah Hockey Club pulled away for a 4-0 win over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night in Saint Paul, Minn. Clayton Keller and Lawson Crouse also scored for Utah, which won its third game in a row. Nick DeSimone finished with a pair of assists.

Kaprizov returns for Minnesota, which has lost 4 of 5 ST. PAUL, Minn. – Karel Vejmelka made 26 saves for his first shutout of the season, and the Utah Hockey Club defeated the Minnesota Wild 4-0 at Xcel Energy Center on Thursday.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Karel Vejmelka made 26 saves for his first shutout of the season, and the Utah Hockey Club defeated the Minnesota Wild 4-0 at Xcel Energy Center on Thursday.

The Minnesota Wild (27-15-4) are back in action tonight for one more game on the road before they return home. They will face the Colorado Avalanche (28-18-1) today for a 2:00 p.m. central time start.

The Wild look to have superstar winger Kirill Kaprizov and captain Jared Spurgeon back in their lineup Thursday against Utah.