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Stars vs Wild: Minnesota needs this one
The Minnesota Wild has fallen in the standings and needs to win tonight at the Xcel Energy Center against the Dallas Stars to boost their confidence.
Can the Stars end the losing streak?
The Dallas Stars are fifth in the Western Conference with a 22-11-5 record. They are solid 10-4-3 on the road but are currently on a three-game losing streak, their longest one of the season. All three games were lost on home ice, despite scoring at least three goals in each of those games. Dallas is coming off a 4-3 loss to the Predators. The Stars are ranked fourth in the league, scoring 3.58 goals per game, and 15th allowing 3.13 goals per game. Jason Robertson leads the team with 39 goals.
What’s happening with the Wild?
The Minnesota Wild have dropped to 13th place in the Western Conference with a 17-17-4 record. After losing four consecutive games, the Wild defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 in overtime in the last one. Minnesota is third in the league in penalty minutes. Offensively, they are ranked 23rd in the league, scoring 2.97 goals per game, and 20th, allowing 3.18 goals per game. Kirill Kaprizov leads the Wild with 34 points so far in the season.
Betting Trends
Seven of the last ten games between these two teams have ended under the total goal line. Minnesota has played under in 9 of their last 11 home games and in 5 of the last 6 against Western Conference opponents.
Player to watch
The Stars’ center Matt Duchene has been playing well lately, having four assists in the last three games for Dallas. The 32-year-old has 35 points so far in the season, 11 goals, and 24 assists.
Injury Reports
Jared Spurgeon, Sam Hentges, Jonas Brodin, Filip Gustavsson, Kirill Kaprizov, Vinni Lettieri, Caedan Bankier, and Michael Milne are all out for Minnesota. For Dallas, Miro Heiskanen, Jake Oettinger and Jerad Rosburg will not suit up tonight.
Prediction and Conclusion
Minnesota has turned from a contender to a team from the bottom third of the conference. The long injury list and the questionable form have been a huge blow for the Wild, who will host another struggling team tonight. The Stars lost the last three at home and are hoping for a change of fortune on the road. Both teams are pretty tough on defense when they play each other, and that is especially the case when the Wild play at home. The total goal line is set at 6 for tonight’s game and will most likely stay untouched.
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