Wild vs Islanders: Starting Goaltending Matchup (November 7, 2025)
The Minnesota Wild (5-7-3) visit the New York Islanders (6-5-2) tonight. The projected goaltending matchup features rookie Jesper Wallstedt against veteran David Rittich, who has a strong track record versus the Wild.
Minnesota Wild Goaltending
Filip Gustavsson will sit out after five consecutive starts and playing in yesterday's loss to Carolina. Jesper Wallstedt is expected to start. Wallstedt is 1-0-2 this season with a 3.38 goals-against average (GAA) and a .863 save percentage in ten games.
At 23 years old, Wallstedt has never faced the Islanders before. His NHL career record stands at 3-3-2 with a 3.34 GAA and a .863 save percentage.
New York Islanders Goaltending
The Islanders are playing the first game of a back-to-back series. Head coach Patrick Roy confirmed that David Rittich will start tonight, with Ilya Sorokin slated for Saturday.
Rittich, 33, holds a 3-1-0 record this season in four games, posting a 3.01 GAA and a .902 save percentage. Although he didn’t face the Wild last year with the Islanders, his career numbers against Minnesota are impressive.
Rittich is 5-0-1 against the Wild in six career starts, with a 2.11 goals-against average, a .935 save percentage, and one shutout.
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Author's summary: This matchup highlights rookie Jesper Wallstedt starting for the Wild against David Rittich, a seasoned goalie with a dominant history versus Minnesota.