The Minnesota Wild (20-12-2) welcome the Dallas Stars (21-9-6) at Xcel Energy Center on Thursday. Dallas is coming off a 3-2 win over the Predators on Tuesday. The Stars took advantage of their power play opportunities, scoring once on six shots while holding Nashville without a power play goal.
Roope Hintz was the top goalscorer for the Stars with two goals. Jake Oettinger had a great performance with 26 saves (.928%) in the win. Minnesota beat the Jets 4-1 on Tuesday. Four players found the net for the Wild. Filip Gustavsson was impressive in the win, making 31 saves (.968%).
HEAD TO HEAD
The Wild won the first meeting between the teams this season, a 6-5 (SO) victory on December 4. Ryan Reaves and Jared Spurgeon each had two points (0G 2A) to lead Minnesota. Hintz led Dallas with four points (3G 1A). Marc-Andre Fleury got the win despite allowing five goals on 35 shots (.857%).
FACING OFF
Dallas is averaging 3.56 goals per game for the season, fifth in the NHL, and they are taking on a Wild team that is allowing 2.79 goals a game (12th). Meanwhile, Minnesota has found the net 3.15 times a game on average, 17th in the league, and the Stars are allowing opponents to score 2.75 goals per game (9th).
Power play opportunities are likely to be plentiful for the Stars, as the Wild have been penalized 4.74 times a game, fourth-most in the NHL, for an average of 12.56 minutes (second-highest).
The visitors are averaging 4.11 penalties (12th) and 10.14 penalty minutes a game (13th). The Stars’ 26.79% power play percentage is the fifth-best in the league, while the Wild rank 10th with a conversion rate of 24.32%.
Dallas has been equally adept at penalty killing, boasting the league’s fourth-highest PK% at 83.06%. Minnesota ranks 14th at 80.17%.
TOP PERFORMERS:
With 51 points this season, fourth-most in the NHL, Jason Robertson is the top skater for the Stars. He is among the league leaders with 24 goals (3rd) and has added 27 assists.
In the net, Oettinger (14-5-3) is Dallas’ top goaltender by goals against average. He has a 2.45 GAA and a .919% save percentage.Kirill Kaprizov leads the Wild in scoring with 44 points (8th in the league).
He has 19 goals and 25 assists in 34 games. Gustavsson (7-5-1) has the best goals against average for Minnesota at 2.44. He has a save percentage of .916%. Fleury (12-7-1) has played the most games in net for the Wild this season. He has a 2.85 GAA and a .901% save percentage.
HOME AND AWAY
Dallas is 11-5-3 away from American Airlines Center this season. Minnesota has won seven in a row at home this season.
SportsTips’ NHL Pick:
Minnesota Wild (-120)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
