Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild Game 6 Prediction, NHL Playoff Odds
The Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild are set for a crucial Game 6 matchup on Thursday night at Grand Casino Arena.
The Wild were able to take a 3-2 series lead on Tuesday thanks to a gutsy 4-2 win in Game 5 in Dallas. Minnesota now has a chance to advance to the conference semifinals with a series-clinching win in Game 6.
The Stars have their backs against the wall, but they have plenty of talent and postseason experience to know what it takes to stay alive.
In what has been a thrilling series so far, this should be another exciting game to watch unfold.
Stars vs. Wild NHL Betting Odds
Oddsmakers are expecting a closely-contested battle in this Game 6 matchup, but they are giving a slight edge to Minnesota. The Wild enter with odds of -122 on the moneyline, while Dallas has odds of +102 to force a Game 7.
When it comes to the puckline, Dallas +1.5 is listed at -258 on the NHL odds, while Minnesota -1.5 has odds of +210. Dallas has struggled on the puckline this season, owning a record of 35-52 against the spread. Conversely, Minnesota is just above the .500-mark in that department with a record of 44-43. The total for this matchup is listed at 5.5 with odds of -118 to the over and odds of -102 to the under. High-scoring games have been a theme in this series so far, as the over is 3-1-1 through the first five games. On the season, Dallas is 44-41-2 to the over; Minnesota is 48-35-4.
With odds of +125, Dallas’ Jason Robertson has the shortest odds to score a goal among any player in this game. Robertson was tied for the team lead at 45 goals during the regular season. He has scored a goal in every game of this series so far, leading the Stars with five goals in the postseason. With odds of +135, Matt Boldy has the shortest odds of any player on the Wild to find the back of the net in Game 6. Boldly potted 42 goals during the regular season and leads the Wild with four goals so far in this series.
Dallas Stars
This series has been a wild roller coaster ride for the Stars. Dallas was thumped in Game 1 by a score of 6-1 on their home ice, but then responded well to win both Games 2 and 3. However, things have taken a negative turn once again as they dropped both Games 4 and 5 and now face elimination on the road in Game 6.
The Dallas power play is firing on all cylinders, but it’s possible Glen Gulutzan’s squad is relying a bit too much on the man advantage. Of the 13 total goals the Stars have scored in this series, nine have come via the power play. Strong power plays are vital in the postseason, but so is scoring prowess when playing at even strength. If the Stars want to force Game 7, they will need to find an offensive rhythm while playing 5-on-5.
Minnesota Wild
The Wild have made the playoffs in eight of the last 10 seasons, but they haven’t been able to escape the first round since 2014-15. John Hynes has his team well-positioned to change that in Game 6, as the Wild return home after pulling out a gutsy 4-2 win on the road in Game 5.
Jesper Wallstedt had just five career NHL games under his belt entering this season, but he has turned into Minnesota’s No. 1 goaltender. In this series, the 23-year-old netminder owns a stellar .926 save percentage to go along with a solid 2.05 goals-against average. He’s held the Stars in check so far in this series, but now that they are facing elimination, look for Dallas to come out firing and really put the pressure on Wallstedt early and often.
NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Stars vs. Wild Game 6?
The Wild have been the much better team when playing 5-on-5 in this series. When playing at even strength, Minnesota has scored 14 goals compared to Dallas’ four. As long as Minnesota stays disciplined and limits Dallas’ chances on the power play, they should be able to close out this series in front of their home fans. I expect the Wild to win this Game 6 matchup by a score of 3-2.
