Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild Series Betting Preview & Picks
The Minnesota Wild will be looking to disprove the old adage, “If you have two, you don’t have one.” The Wild equally deployed their goaltending tandem of Marc-Andre Fleury and Filip Gustavsson this year. Fleury held a slight advantage, starting 45 games to Gustavsson’s 37, but the latter posted superior metrics. Gustavsson ended the year with a 93.1% save percentage and 31.3 goals saved above average compared to Fleury’s 90.8% and 4.9.
Considering his edge in experience and playoff pedigree, Fleury will likely stand tall in the net when the puck drops in Game 1 of the Central Division showdown against the Dallas Stars. But the Wild will quickly turn to Gustavsson if their primary netminder struggles early.
Stars vs. Wild Series Information- Game 1: DAL vs. MIN – April 17 @ 9:30 pm ET
- Game 2: DAL vs. MIN – April 19 @ 9:30 pm ET
- Game 3: MIN vs. DAL – April 21 @ 9:30 pm ET
- Game 4: MIN vs. DAL – April 23 @ 6:30 pm ET
- *Game 5: DAL vs. MIN – April 25 @ TBD
- *Game 6: MIN vs. DAL – April 28 @ TBD
- *Game 7: DAL vs. MIN – April 30 @ TBD
The Wild will need one of their goalies to be the difference-maker if they hope to punch their ticket to the second round. Dallas has been one of the best offensive teams this year, compiling robust production and output metrics.
The Stars ranked in the league’s top half in scoring and high-danger chances, resulting in the seventh-ranked shooting percentage and seventh-most goals-for. However, it’s worth noting that a hefty portion of their goals came on the man advantage. The Stars ended the season tied for the fifth-most powerplay goals, driving up their season-long total. At five-on-five, Dallas falls to 13th in scoring.
Stars vs. Wild Series Odds on FanDuel- Series Price: Stars -146 | Wild +122
- Eastern Conference Odds: Stars +700 | Wild +1000
- Stanley Cup Odds: Stars +1600 | Wild +2200
Of course, the Stars don’t have to rely on their offense to win games. Jake Oettinger has been a stalwart for the second-place finishers, posting career-best metrics. The former first-round draft pick set new benchmarks in save percentage (91.9%), goals saved above average (26.1), and adjusted goals-against average (2.39) en route to the most starts, wins, and saves of his three-year career.
The Stars’ skaters deserve some credit for lightening Oettinger’s workload. Dallas was one of the best defensive teams in the NHL this year, allowing the third-fewest scoring chances and seventh-fewest high-danger opportunities. However, that’s a standard Minnesota can match, ranking seventh in scoring and second in quality chances allowed.
Stars vs. Wild Picks- Wild +115
- Total Series Games – 6 +194
Chances will be at a premium in this Central Division series. Both teams play a defense-first brand of hockey, preferring to limit their opponents’ production. Moreover, the Stars and Wild goaltenders have been among the best in the league, posting above-average metrics across the board.
Goals won’t come easy, and many of these games could be destined for overtime, with neither team willing to give up an inch. These teams are very evenly matched on both ends of the ice, and the series winner could be the first team to advance to the next round while scoring only four goals.
Inevitably, they seem destined to skate in a seven-game series, although we give the edge to the Wild coming out on top, thanks to Fleury stealing another playoff series.
