Wild set preseason slate, sign goalie

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Wild will open the preseason at St. Louis on Sept. 15.

The Wild announced their preseason schedule on Friday. The first game at Xcel Energy Center will come on Sept. 18 against Columbus.

Minnesota will also host the Chicago Blackhawks on Sept. 20 and the St. Louis Blues on Sept. 24. The Wild will hit the road for games at Columbus on Sept. 21, Chicago on Sept. 25 and Philadelphia on Sept. 29.

Single-game tickets for the preseason will go on sale Aug. 22. Regular season tickets will go on sale Sept. 12.

Also on Friday, the team signed veteran goaltender Wade Dubielewicz to add depth behind All-Star Niklas Backstrom.

The move gives the Wild a third goaltender on the roster and more stability should they decide to trade backup Josh Harding, who had a 2.21 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage last season. The Wild signed Backstrom to an extension that will make him the No. 1 goaltender for the next four years.

The 30-year-old Dubielewicz, who played in the WCHA at Denver, has a career record of 17-15-1 with a 2.64 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage in 40 career appearances with the New York Islanders and Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Wild also signed right wingers Duncan Milroy and Jon DiSalvatore to contracts.

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