The NHL is set up with another great slate of hockey on April 16. Fourteen games are up on the board throughout Saturday. One of these games will be between the Minnesota Wild and the St. Louis Blues. These two teams have been solid throughout this season and will look for a big win in this one. This game will drop the puck at around 3:00 PM Eastern time on ABC.
Minnesota has earned a record of 46-21-6 throughout this season, which has them sitting in second place of the Central division. The Wild have won three games in a row and twelve of their last fifteen games. Minnesota is tied with the third seeded St. Louis, but has a game in hand. The Wild will look for a big two points in this one.
The Blues have put up a record of 44-20-10 so far this season, which has them in third place of the Central division. St. Louis has won seven straight games and nine of their last ten. The Blues will look to jump the Wild in the standings with a win in this one. St. Louis will look to step up at home as they look for an important win on Saturday.
These two teams have been solid throughout this season and will look for a big win on Saturday. The Wild have been solid throughout the season and will look to come out quickly in this one. St. Louis has been red hot as of late and will look to keep it going. If either team can come out quickly in this one, it could be enough for the win.
Game Overview
The following odds are courtesy of Bovada:
| Teams | Spread | Money Line | Total |
| Minnesota Wild | +1 ½ (-260) | -110 | Over 6 (-120) |
| St. Louis Blues | -1 ½ (+215) | -110 | Under 6 (+100) |
| Team Data | Minnesota Wild | St. Louis Blues |
| Overall Record | 46-21-6 | 44-20-10 |
| Away/ Home Record | 20-14-4 | 25-9-4 |
| Goals Per Game | 3.64 | 3.68 |
| Goals Per Game Away/ Home | 3.29 | 3.76 |
| Save Percentage | .905 | .911 |
| Save Percentage Away/ Home | .905 | .916 |
Betting Trends
Minnesota Wild
- 5-2 in April
- 11-5 on Saturday’s
- 11-11 in divisional games
- 15-6 after a divisional game
- 8-12 revenging loss to an opponent
- 14-6 after three or more straight wins
- 20-15 against team with a winning record
St. Louis Blues
- 7-1 in April
- 11-8 on Saturday’s
- 14-8 against divisional opponents
- 18-12 after a non-Conference game
- 22-13 after a win by two or more goals
- 27-14 after scoring four or more goals
- 7-5 after three or more straight wins
- 21-13 against team with a winning record
These two teams have met up twice on the season. Minnesota hosted the first game on January 1. Jordan Kyrou had two goals and two assists, while Ivan Barbashev had a goal and an assist. The Blues were able to earn a 6-4 win on the road. The second game shifted to St. Louis on April 8. Justin Fault and Robert Thomas each had a goal and an assist as the Blues won 4-3 in overtime.
Big business to take care of in STL today.
⏰ 2:00 p.m.
? @ABCNetwork / @espn
? @KFAN1003
? Enterprise Center pic.twitter.com/PQMukIWTHr— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) April 16, 2022
Special Teams
The Wild have been solid on the power play throughout the season. Minnesota has scored on 44 of their 218 power play chances, which is a 20.2 percent success rate. The Wild have killed off 175 of their opponents 233 power play attempts, which is a 75.1 percent penalty kill. Minnesota is 19th on the power play and 26th on the kill this season.
St. Louis has been strong on both sides of special teams this season. The Blues have capitalized on 57 of their 216 power play opportunities, which is a 26.4 percent power play. St. Louis has given up 33 power play goals on 204 penalties against, which is an 83.8 percent penalty kill. The Blues are 2nd on the man advantage and 5th on the penalty kill.
The Blues have the edge on special teams entering this matchup and will look for a big win in this one. Minnesota has struggled a bit on the penalty kill this season and will look to turn it around. St. Louis will look to get their power play going early. If either team can get a power play goal or two in this one, it could be enough for the win.
Goaltending Comparison
Marc-Andre Fleury will likely get the start in the crease for Minnesota in this one. Fleury has earned a record of 5-1-0 in his six starts since joining the Wild. He has posted a .929 save percentage and a GAA of 2.36 in those games. Fleury finished with 34 saves on 36 shots in his last start against the Dallas Stars, which was enough for the win.
I expect Ville Husso to get the nod between the pipes for the Blues on Saturday afternoon. Husso has started in 34 games this season, going 23-6-5 in those outings. He has put up a save percentage of .925 and a 2.37 GAA in his starts. Husso’s last start was against the Boston Bruins. He stopped 39 of 41 shots in the win.
These two goalies have been strong throughout this season and will look to get going early in this one. Fleury has won two games in a row and has been strong since joining Minnesota at the deadline. Husso has won five straight starts and will look to remain hot. If either goalie can come out quickly in this one, it could be enough for the win.
Pick Overview
These two teams will look for a huge two points as they meet up on Saturday afternoon. Both teams are in a tight race for the second seed in the Central division, which would mean home ice in a potential playoff series between the two. The Blues won the first two games of the season series, but I think Minnesota will bounce back in this one.
Bovada has both teams listed as a -110 against the money line in this one. This gives even odds to both teams in this one. I agree with this line as both teams are in a very tight race for the second spot. St. Louis is on a long winning streak though and I think they are due for a loss. If the Wild can come out fast on the road, I like the value on them to bounce back with a win.
