Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues Preview, Scores and Prediction

The first round series between the Minnesota Wild and the St. Louis Blues could be one of the more interesting matchups in these playoffs, as both seem to have been built for postseason play. Both teams have a strong veteran presence and play an aggressive style of hockey while also holding a lot of skill throughout the lineup. The Blues have high expectations and are looking to finally break through after consecutive years of not quite living up to expectations. The Wild are hoping to ride momentum gained after netminder Devan Dubnyk arrived in Minnesota to become the savior of the Wild’s Season.

Minnesota Wild:
Before Dubnyk arrived, Minnesota’s forwards were overshadowed by poor goaltending. Zach Parise has had one of his most productive seasons with the Wild while Thomas Vanek has come on strong late in the regular season. Minnesota has a considerable amount of speed, which should be part of their game plan against St. Louis. The defense could be a bit worn down after a bruising push to make the playoffs at the end of the regular season. The Wild have a shot at advancing if they’re able to use their quickness to put the Blues on their heels and score and if Dubnyk is able to continue working his magic in net.

St. Louis Blues:
The Blues won the Central Division by getting contributions up and down their line up through out the season. Currently, Sports Interaction oddsmakers have St. Louis favored at -182. St. Louis had four players with 24 or more goals and nine players that notched 40 plus points. Depth will be the Blues’ strength as the forwards have at least one player on its top three lines that can score at will. The defense is also extremely balanced and physical and could knock the young Minnesota speedsters off their game. While goaltending has been an issue as of late, they have depth to accommodate poor play as they have two starting quality goalies in Brian Elliot and Jake Allen. The Blues can win the series if they stick to their stout defensive play, not allowing the Wild to get shots on net.

Prediction:
As the +130 underdogs in this match, the Wild are a younger, less experienced team but seem hungry to finally make a deep run in the playoffs and finished the year riding a wave of good momentum. Minnesota will need to maintain a fast paced offensive attack and get lots of shots on net to have a chance at winning the series. For the Blues, it’s another year with pressure to win after consecutive years of being one of the best teams in the regular season. If St. Louis can find a way to use their brawn to control the amount of shots their goalie will see and control the puck in the offensive zone, they will likely advance.

Pick: St. Louis Blues in 6.