Two teams that split their season series 2-2 a year ago, the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild take the ice at the Xcel Energy Center. The puck drops at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, December 22, and fans at home can watch this divisional matchup live on KTXA-TV 21.
Dallas Stars at Minnesota Wild Odds
Minnesota (-165) is favored over Dallas (+145), and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 6 goals. If you want to play the game’s total, you’ll be looking at odds of -110 for the over and -110 on the under.
Losing 4.0 units for moneyline gamblers, the Wild are 17-17 straight up (SU) overall in the 2018-19 season. That early-season winning percentage is a regression from the 45-37 record that the team posted during last year’s regular season campaign. Of the team’s 34 games this season, 15 have gone over the total, while another 15 have gone under and just four have pushed. The team is 10-8 SU at home this year.
Minnesota’s connected on 23.8 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a mark that’s good enough for ninth-best in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked second overall, and it’s successfully killed off 86.1 percent of all penalties.
Minnesota, as a collective unit, has been penalized 3.8 times per game overall this season, and 3.0 per game over its last five at home. The team has had to kill penalties for just 7.9 minutes per game over its last 10 outings, in total.
Averaging 26.4 saves per game with a .913 save percentage, Devan Dubnyk (13 wins, 14 losses, and two OT losses) has been the best option in goal for the Wild this year. If the Wild decide to give him the evening off, however, it might turn to Alex Stalock (5-4-4 record, .904 save percentage, 2.65 goals against average).
Mikael Granlund and Zach Parise will each be offensive focal points for the Wild. Granlund (33 points) has tallied 11 goals and 22 assists and has recorded two or more points in eight different games this year. Parise has 15 goals and 14 assists to his name and has notched at least one point in 21 games.
Dallas has lost 2.8 units for bettors taking the moneyline this year and is currently 17-18 straight up (SU). Through 35 regular season matches, 18 of its games have gone under the total, while 13 have gone over and just four have pushed. As the visiting team, Dallas is 6-13 SU so far.
Dallas has converted on 20.9 percent of its power play chances this year, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 11th overall and it’s successfully killed off 82.2 percent of all penalties.
Dallas’ skaters have been penalized 3.7 times per game this season, and 2.8 per game over their last five match ups. The team has been forced to stave off opponent power plays just 7.7 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Ben Bishop (26.5 saves per game) has been the primary option in goal for Dallas. Bishop has 11 wins, 11 losses, and one OT loss to his credit, and has registered a .921 save percentage and 2.38 goals against average this year.
For the visiting Stars, the offense will be facilitated through Tyler Seguin (11 goals, 21 assists) and Jamie Benn (14 goals, 15 assists).
Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild Betting Predictions
Free Pick: SU Winner – Wild, O/U – Under
Betting Notes
- The under has hit in three of Minnesota’s last five outings.
- The Stars are 6-11 SU in games where they serve more penalty minutes than their opponent while the Wild are 9-5 SU when they spend more time in the box than their opponent.
- Minnesota skaters have managed 5.8 takeaways per game over its last five home games, a drop-off from its season average of 6.6 takeaways per game (ranked 24th).
- Dallas has created 7.1 takeaways per game (ranked 20th).
