Game two of this Central Division rivalry will take place on Wednesday evening. The Blues took game one by a score of 4-0. Both of these teams played a fast-paced contest in game one, but ultimately two powerplay goals helped propel St. Louis into the win column.
Puck drop for game two of this first round Western Conference playoff series is scheduled for 9:30 pm Eastern Time at the Xcel Energy Center in Minnesota.
Blues at Wild Stats
St. Louis Blues Stats
The St. Louis Blues were able to take game one of this best of seven series in Minnesota on Monday night. St. Louis was the more disciplined team which helped them win the contest.
In game one, the Blues scored two powerplay goals from David Perron which helped boster the lead for St. Louis. Their discipline and team play made a difference for St. Louis to take a game on the road.
David Perron leads all skaters with four points and three goals thus far in the postseason. The NHL veteran used his experience and skill to will the Blues to victory. Expect Perron to continue his quality play as the playoffs continue.
St. Louis is expected to continue rolling with netminder Ville Husso. In game one he faced a total of 37 shots in which he saved all of them. He provided a calming relief in the net for the Blues. Expect St. Louis to go with Husso in game two.
Minnesota Wild Stats
Minnesota Wild unfortunately lost game one at home even with a quality effort. They outshot the Blues 37-31 but simply couldn’t find the back of the net.
This team has all the personnel to score plenty of goals, they will have to regroup quickly if they are to find their scoring touch for game two. Look for Kirill Kaprizov to step up in a major way in the second game of this series.
Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury got the start in net in game one. While he made some monumental saves, he was unable to obtain the win. The Wild most likely will go with Cam Talbot for game two. Talbot compiled a 32-12-4 record with a 2.77GAA and a .911 save percentage during the regular season. He definitely isn’t a major drop off from Fleury.
The Wild will once again go for the win in front of what is sure to be another sell-out crowd in Minnesota. If this young team wants to make a deep run these playoffs, they will have to defend their home ice.
Matchup Information
Blues at Wild Betting Trends
- The over is 4-0-1 in Wild’s last five games following a home loss of three goals or more
- In the past four matchups head to head, the winning team has covered the puck line
- The Wild have been zero for their last 11 attempts on the powerplay
- Wild are 1-6 in their last 7 Conference Quarterfinals games
Blues at Wild Betting Picks
The Minnesota Wild are still looked as the favorite according to the NHL expert picks for this series. St. Louis currently is a +112 underdog for game two while the Wild are a -124 favorite. It is hard to see Minnesota going against the NHL betting odds and losing game two.
The over/under for this contest is set at six total goals. With NHL betting stats showing that the over for these two teams is imminent, expect the scoring to increase in game two. The over odds are -122 while the under odds are +111.
In all of the head to head matchups this season, the winning team has covered their respective puckline. The Blues have won every matchup against the Wild this season, but eventually Minnesota will break through and get a much deserved win. Look for the Wild to take game two and cover their -1.5 puck line with +195 odds.
Conclusion
All in all, game two of this best of seven series is sure to be an entertaining one. Expect the scoring to increase as well as the animosity between these two franchises. The Wild will adjust their game plan so they are able to get on the scoreboard early and often in this contest.
With Cam Talbot taking the net, Minnesota should play more structured and limit the damage that the potent St. Louis offense can deliver. The Blues have the depth to play every other game without missing a beat.
Any hockey fan should be sure to look at some NHL betting picks for this Central Division playoff matchup. A raucous crowd is expected in Minnesota and they look for the players to play more free and open on the ice in game two rather than game one.
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