Minnesota Wild vs St. Louis Blues 3/15/2023 Previews, Game Analysis and Picks
The Minnesota Wild are gearing up for a showdown with the struggling St. Louis Blues at the Enterprise Center in Downtown St. Louis, MO, on Wednesday evening. These two teams are currently on divergent paths this season. With a 38-21-8 record, the Wild have won seven of their last 10 games and have surged into second place in the Central Division. Meanwhile, the Blues have a disappointing 29-32-5 record and have only managed to win three of their last 10 games.
Although the Wild have faced some offensive struggles this season, their exceptional defense has propelled them forward and is among the best in the NHL. They allow just 2.60 goals per game and have conceded a mere 14 goals in their last eight games. Jared Spurgeon and Jacob Middleton lead the charge on defense, boasting an impressive 10.6 defensive point shares and 270 blocked shots combined. Additionally, Mathew Dumba and Jonathon Merrill provide further depth to the unit, with a combined 5.1 defensive point shares. Filip Gustavsson, with a remarkable .931, saves percentage and a 2.01 goals-against average on 882 shots faced.
- Minnesota is 2-9 SU in their last 11 games on the road against St. Louis.
- The total stayed UNDER in 12 of the Wild’s Last 18 games with a rival in the West.
- The total went UNDER in 9 of the Wild’s last 13 games with a rival in the Central Division.
Minnesota Wild vs St. Louis Blues 3/15/2023 Previews, Game Analysis and Picks
Despite their offense performing well and scoring an average of 3.06 goals per game, the St. Louis Blues have been struggling this season. Jordan Kyrou, Pavel Buchnevich, and Robert Thomas have been leading the team’s offense with a combined total of 66 goals and 113 assists, while Brayden Schenn, Brandon Saad, and Josh Leivo have also contributed with 32 goals and 52 assists. Justin Faulk has been a standout defenseman with eight goals and 25 assists.
However, the Blues’ defense has been a major issue, allowing an average of 3.65 goals per game. Although Justin Faulk and Nick Leddy have been solid with a combined 4.7 defensive point shares, the rest of the unit has struggled, giving opponents plenty of opportunities to score. In addition, Jordan Binnington, the team’s goaltender, has not lived up to his previous performances, with a lackluster .894 save percentage and a 3.33 goals-against average on 1541 shots faced. He has saved his team 17.7 goals below average, making him a significant liability this season.
- The total hung OVER in 11 of the Blues’ last 16 matches with Minnesota.
- The St. Louis Blues are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games at home.
- St. Louis is 9-2 SU in their last 11 games at home against the Wild.
Minnesota Wild vs St. Louis Blues. The NHL pick for this game is the Minnesota Wild. The St. Louis Blues are no match to the better Minnesota Wild in this contest; Although Minnesota had been slightly inconsistent in their past games, they still have the edge to win this battle and are on the winning side of hockey games. The Blues will struggle to survive in this contest. Minnesota will win predicted at 5-2.
NHL Starting Time: 7:00 PM (EDT)
Location: Enterprise Center in downtown St, Louis, MO
Date: Wednesday, March 115, 2023
TV: NHL
NHL Odds: Minnesota Wild -175
NHL Totals: 6.5
