In their third head-to-head meeting of the regular season, the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild collide at the Xcel Energy Center for a Central Division tilt. NBC Sports Network will broadcast the game, and the action gets going at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 29.
Dallas Stars at Minnesota Wild Odds
With a moneyline of -155, Minnesota heads into the contest as the heavy favorite. The line for Dallas sits at +135 and the Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 6 goals. The odds for betting that total sit at -105 for the over and -115 for the under.
The Wild are 42-34 straight up (SU) and have netted moneyline bettors 0.1 units this season. That early-season winning percentage is a slide from what the team recorded during the 2016-17 season (49-33). Among the team’s 76 games this season, 38 have gone over the total, while 34 have gone under and just four have pushed. The team is 25-14 SU at home this year.
Minnesota’s converted on 19.8 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is rated 18th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 80.1 percent of all penalties.
Minnesota, as a collective unit, has been called for penalties 3.8 times per game overall this season, and 3.0 per game over its past ten games. The team has had to stave off opponent power plays for just 6.0 minutes per game over its last 10 outings, in total.
With a .917 save percentage and 27.0 saves per game, Devan Dubnyk (33-22-7) has been the best goalkeeper for the Wild this year. If head coach Bruce Boudreau chooses to rest him, however, the Wild might roll with Alex Stalock (10-17-17 record, .913 save percentage, 2.76 goals against average).
Eric Staal and Mikael Granlund will both lead the offensive attack for the Wild. Staal (73 points) is up to 40 goals and 33 assists and has recorded multiple points in 17 different games this year. Granlund has 19 goals and 41 assists to his name and has recorded at least one point in 38 games.
Dallas is 39-38 straight up (SU) and has lost 13.7 units for bettors taking the moneyline this year. A total of 38 of its outings have gone over the total, while 37 have gone under and just two have pushed. Dallas’ 14-23 SU as the road team this season.
Dallas has converted on 20.2 percent of its power play chances this year, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 12th overall and it’s successfully killed off 81.7 percent of all opponent power plays.
Dallas’ skaters have been penalized 4.2 times per game this season, 3.8 per game over their past five contests total, and 4.2 per game over their last five games as the visiting team. The team has had to kill penalties just 8.0 minutes per game over their last five outings.
Ben Bishop (24.8 saves per game) has been the primary option in the net for Dallas. Bishop has 26 wins, 27 losses, and six OT losses to his credit, while registering a .916 save percentage and 2.49 goals against average this year.
Leading the offensive attack for the visiting Stars will be Tyler Seguin (39 goals, 34 assists) and Jamie Benn (28 goals, 41 assists).
Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild Free Picks
NHL Prediction: SU Winner – Wild, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Trends
Minnesota is 3-3 in games decided by a shootout this season while Dallas is 4-3 in shootouts.
The total has gone under in four of Minnesota’s last five outings.
Four of Dallas’ last ten games have been decided by two goals or more. The team is 0-4 in those games.
Dallas skaters have dished out the league’s 10th-most hits per game (23.0).
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