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Jim Biringer
St. Louis Blues vs. Minnesota Wild Game 5 Prediction, Playoff Odds
As the scene shifts back to Minnesota for a pivotal Game 5, it is truly any team’s series.
The Wild are still favoured to win the series at -171. The most likely outcome of six or seven games is pegged as the favourite at +190. Entering Game 5, Minnesota is a slight favourite at -150 on the money line and a total of 6.5 goals on the NHL Odds.
Blues vs. Wild NHL Playoffs Betting Odds
This has been a very evenly played series as everyone expected it to be. Even oddsmakers are unclear who has the edge in this one. While Minnesota is still favoured to win, the Blues winning the series is not an unlikely outcome as it was to start the series.
While the Over has hit in the six of the last eight meetings between these two clubs, it is even money for Over/Under heading into Game 5 at -105. However, 58 percent of bettors are leaning towards the Over in Game 5 based on recent trends. Over on the money line, 66 percent of bettors are picking the Wild to win Game 5.
The winner of Game 5 has gone on to win the series more than 75 percent of the time.
St. Louis Blues
After two poor performances, the St. Louis Blues bounced back with a nice 5-2 victory in Game 4. Ryan O’Reilly potted three points including a goal and two assists. David Perron continued his hot hand as he recorded his team-leading fifth goal of the playoffs. Perron also leads the Blues in points with seven and is tied for the league lead in goals.
Even without three defencemen in the lineup, the Blues were able to rally on home ice. It was the play of Jordan Binnington that sparked the Blues in Game 4. Entering Game 5, the Blues will be without four defencemen. The question will be can they continue to sustain this level of play without so many high-quality players in the lineup?
Minnesota Wild
The Wild are looking for some home cooking as they return home to Minnesota. Recent history, especially in this series, has shown the home team usually wins and they are hoping that will continue.
Minnesota was right there in Game 4, but two goals in 94 seconds changed the outcome of that game. The Wild allowed St. Louis to dictate play which is something that they had been doing in the prior two games.
Like St. Louis, Minnesota has been mostly an offensive team in this series. Kirill Kaprizov leads the Wild with six points and five goals. Joel Eriksson Ek is right behind him with five points. Matt Boldy finally got on the scoresheet in Game 4, but what the Wild really need is to get Kevin Fiala going.
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