ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Returning from the NHL's holiday break, the Minnesota Wild's shuffle at goaltender continued.
Minnesota placed Niklas Backstrom on injured reserve before Saturday's home game against the Winnipeg Jets. The move is retroactive to Dec. 21 as Backstrom deals with an illness. Goaltender John Curry was recalled from Iowa of the American Hockey League on emergency conditions and started against Winnipeg.
Darcy Kuemper was slated to start Saturday, but was also dealing with an illness, according to reports.
Curry, 30, was 5-6-0 with a 2.84 goals-against average and .917 save percentage in 13 games with Iowa this season. He won four of his last five starts in the AHL with a 1.95 goals-against average and .944 save percentage. Curry is starting on back-to-back nights after stopping 38 of 39 shots in a win at Rockford on Friday night.
Curry is 3-2-0 with a 3.55 goals-against average and .893 save percentage in six career NHL games with Pittsburgh and Minnesota. He made 43 saves to win his Wild debut last season, playing in two games with a 3.00 goals-against average and .930 save percentage. Curry was recalled by Minnesota last week to back up Backstrom for one game while Kuemper dealt with an illness and was reassigned to Iowa afterwards.
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