Two teams with a stake in the Central Division championship will take the ice at Xcel Energy Center on Thursday night. The Dallas Stars lead the division, while the Minnesota Wild are currently in third place, just six points behind Dallas in the NHL standings. The Stars have won three of their last four games, while the Wild have been even better, winning four of their last five contests.
Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild Odds
Taking a look at the NHL odds, it appears that the Wild are currently priced as the favorite with a Moneyline of -114. The Stars check in at +103, which is good value for a first-place team that has won three of their last four games. 1.5 goals favor the Wild, and the over/under is 6. This is essential information when making NHL picks.
Matchup Information
- Date: Thursday, December 29, 2022
- Time: 8:00 PM
- Venue: Xcel Energy Center
- Location: St. Paul, Minnesota
- How to Watch: ESPN+
Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild Betting Analysis
Dallas Stars Betting Analysis
The Dallas Stars come into play with a record of 21-9-6, good for 48 points and the top spot in the Central Division. Looking at the NHL standings, the Stars have a five-point lead over the Winnipeg Jets. Compared to other NHL teams, the Stars are second in the Western Conference and fifth overall in the NHL. Dallas comes into Thursday’s game, having won three of their last four games. They are averaging 3.53 goals per game, and their stingy defense allows just 2.75 goals per contest. In their last four games, the Stars have allowed just eight goals.
Looking at the NHL player stats, the Stars are led offensively by left-winger Jason Robertson, who has 24 goals and 27 assists for 51 points. His goal total is good for fourth in the entire NHL. Center Roope Hintz has 14 goals and 40 points thus far this season. Dallas has five players with at least ten goals on their roster. Taking a look at the NHL injury report, Dallas has no players currently injured, so they will be ready to go. Between the pipes, goaltender Jake Oettinger has a record of 15-5-3 with a goals-against average of .243 and a save percentage of .919.
Minnesota Wild Betting Analysis
The Minnesota Wild come into play with a record of 20-12-2, good for 42 points and third place in the Central Division standings. Looking at the NHL standings, the Wild are ahead of the Colorado Avalanche by just two points for third place in the Central Division. The Avalanche currently holds the second wild-card spot.
The Wild have been playing very well, having won four of their last five games. During that five-game stretch, they allowed ten goals while scoring 18. Taking a look at the NHL stats, the Wild are averaging 3.15 goals per game while allowing 2.79 goals per contest.
The NHL player stats show that left winger Kirill Kaprizov is the offensive leader for the Wild. He has 19 goals and 25 assists for 44 points. Right winget Mats Zuccarello is right behind Kaprizov with 16 goals and 23 assists for 39 points. Minnesota has four players on their roster that have at least ten goals.
The NHL injury report for Minnesota shows that they are without left winger Marcus Foligno, who is on injured reserve, and defenseman Jake Middleton, who is daily with an illness. Between the pipes, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has a record of 12-7-1 with a goals-against average of 2.85 and a save percentage of .901.
Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild Betting Preview
As was stated earlier, this is one of the marquee NHL matchups of the night. This one may be the toughest of all of the NHL picks of tonight’s slate. Expect a hard-fought, close game all the way through. However, the one number that sticks out to me is the +103 that Dallas is on the Moneyline. They are a first-place team that has a record of 11-5-3 on the road. Take the Stars to win in a close one.
- Pick: Dallas
- Score: 3-2
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