Calgary will attempt to extend its win streak when it hosts the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night. The Flames have had no trouble scoring goals in bunches this year, but understand they need to play a tighter defensive game if they are going to make a deep playoff run.

Minnesota has trended in the opposite direction of late in losing three of its last four games. Can the Wild get back on track with a big road win over Calgary? Or will the Flames remain red hot on home ice? Here is a closer look at the matchup.

Wild vs Flames Betting Analysis

Minnesota has struggled on the road this season with a 7-6-0 record. The Wild have also been a tough team to bet on when it comes to the puck line, producing a 12-15 PL record so far this season. This will mark the first of two meetings between these teams in a span of nine days.

Calgary has played its best hockey at Scotiabank Saddledome with an 8-3-2 record this season. The Flames are 15-13 on the puck line this season, including a 7-6 PL record as the home team. Calgary has played some of its best hockey of late and is 7-2-1 over its last 10 games. The Flames have averaged 5.3 goals per game over the course of their current three-game win streak.

Minnesota Wild

Everybody on the Minnesota roster understands the importance of improved play at the defensive end of the ice right now. The Wild have allowed four goals or more in each of their last three losses. In comparison, Minnesota has allowed two goals or fewer in each of its last two wins. Keeping the puck out of their own net will be key for the Wild when they visit Calgary. The Flames are capable of scoring goals in bunches so this will be a tough matchup. The pressure will be on Devan Dubnyk to shut the door on Thursday night. Dubnyk is 10-8-2 with a .911 save percentage this season.

Meanwhile, it would certainly help the goaltender out if Minnesota were able to score some goals in this contest. Mikael Granlund, Zach Parise and Eric Staal have led the way up front but secondary scoring has been an issue for the Wild. If they can get some contributions from their third and fourth lines, it will go a long way to having a shot to win in Calgary on Thursday night.

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Wild Team Leaders

MIN

Points	Zach Parise 61
+ / -	Matt Bartkowski 2
Shots	Zach Parise 229
Penalty Mins	Nick Seeler 64
Wins	Devan Dubnyk 31
GAA	Devan Dubnyk 2.54

CAL

Points	Johnny Gaudreau 99
+ / -	Mark Giordano 39
Shots	Johnny Gaudreau 245
Penalty Mins	Sam Bennett 93
Wins	David Rittich 27
GAA	David Rittich 2.61

MIN

Points
+ / -
Shots	Did not qualify
Penalty Mins
Wins
GAA

CAL

Points	Sam Bennett 5
+ / -	Oscar Fantenberg 1
Shots	Mikael Backlund 17
Penalty Mins	Matthew Tkachuk 18
Wins	Mike Smith 1
GAA	Mike Smith 3.2

Calgary Flames

The Flames are coming off a wild win over the Columbus Blue Jackets in which they came back from 3-1 down to win 9-6. While Calgary is capable of scoring goals in bunches, this team also understands the importance of playing better hockey in its own end. Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan have led the way up front with some excellent production. The Flames have also received some solid secondary scoring from players like Matthew Tkachuk, Elias Lindholm and Mikael Backlund.

The key for Calgary is to continue to produce offensively while getting better play from its goaltenders. David Rittich is 8-2-1 with a .919 save percentage but was pulled in Tuesday’s win in Columbus. That means the Flames could turn back to Mike Smith for the start on Thursday. Smith is 9-7-1 with a 3.12 goals-against average and a .884 save percentage this season. Smith is capable of playing better than he has so perhaps this is the game where he starts to get his season on track. Calgary has more than enough firepower to beat the Wild at home, so look for Gaudreau and company to find a way to get the job done on home ice and extend their win streak.

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Flames Team Leaders

MIN

Points	Zach Parise 61
+ / -	Matt Bartkowski 2
Shots	Zach Parise 229
Penalty Mins	Nick Seeler 64
Wins	Devan Dubnyk 31
GAA	Devan Dubnyk 2.54

CAL

Points	Johnny Gaudreau 99
+ / -	Mark Giordano 39
Shots	Johnny Gaudreau 245
Penalty Mins	Sam Bennett 93
Wins	David Rittich 27
GAA	David Rittich 2.61

MIN

Points
+ / -
Shots	Did not qualify
Penalty Mins
Wins
GAA

CAL

Points	Sam Bennett 5
+ / -	Oscar Fantenberg 1
Shots	Mikael Backlund 17
Penalty Mins	Matthew Tkachuk 18
Wins	Mike Smith 1
GAA	Mike Smith 3.2

Injuries

Minnesota

Zach Parise (LW)

out for season Lower Body - 04 / 04 / 19

Nico Sturm (C)

Prob Thurs Personal - 02 / 04 / 19

Zach Parise (LW)

Ques Tues Lower Body - 23 / 03 / 19

Jason Zucker (LW)

Ques Sun Leg - 17 / 03 / 19

Joel Eriksson Ek (C)

Prob Fri Lower Body - 13 / 03 / 19

Luke Kunin (C)

Prob Thurs Upper Body - 07 / 03 / 19

Zach Parise (LW)

Ques Sun Foot - 28 / 02 / 19

Kevin Fiala (LW)

Prob Tues Acquired - 25 / 02 / 19

Pontus Aberg (LW)

Ques Tues Illness - 24 / 02 / 19

Matt Hendricks (C)

Ques Thurs Upper Body - 13 / 02 / 19

Calgary

David Rittich (G)

Doub Thurs Rest - 11 / 04 / 19

Matthew Tkachuk (LW)

Out Sat Rest - 06 / 04 / 19

Sean Monahan (C)

Prob Wed Illness - 05 / 04 / 19

TJ Brodie (D)

Out Wed Rest - 03 / 04 / 19

Mark Giordano (D)

Out Wed Rest - 03 / 04 / 19

Travis Hamonic (D)

Out Wed Rest - 03 / 04 / 19

Noah Hanifin (D)

Out Wed Rest - 03 / 04 / 19

Elias Lindholm (C)

Out Wed Rest - 03 / 04 / 19

Sean Monahan (C)

Out Wed Rest - 03 / 04 / 19

Sam Bennett (C)

Prob Wed Upper Body - 02 / 04 / 19

Injuries

Minnesota

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Zach Parise (LW)	out for season	Lower Body - 04 / 04 / 19	1-1	1-1	+ -
Parise is sidelined with a lower-body injury and an illness and will miss the remainder of the 2018-19 season.
Nico Sturm (C)	Prob Thurs	Personal - 02 / 04 / 19	1-2	1-2	+ -
Sturm missed the last game with visa issues but it is not expected to impede his status for Thursday's matchup versus the Bruins.
Zach Parise (LW)	Ques Tues	Lower Body - 23 / 03 / 19	4-3	2-5	+ -
Parise has missed the past four games with a lower-body issue and it is unknown if he will return to action against the Jets on Tuesday.
Jason Zucker (LW)	Ques Sun	Leg - 17 / 03 / 19	5-5	3-7	+ -
Zucker exited the last game due to a right leg injury and it is undetermined if he will be in Sunday's lineup versus the Islanders.
Joel Eriksson Ek (C)	Prob Fri	Lower Body - 13 / 03 / 19	5-7	3-8-1	+ -
Eriksson is saddled with a lower-body injury but it is likely he will return the lineup until for Friday's game versus the Golden Knights.
Luke Kunin (C)	Prob Thurs	Upper Body - 07 / 03 / 19	7-8	5-9-1	+ -
Kunin is dealing with an upper-body injury but is likely to return to the ice for Thursday's game versus the Stars.
Zach Parise (LW)	Ques Sun	Foot - 28 / 02 / 19	10-8	5-11-2	+ -
Parise missed the previous game with a foot injury and it is unclear if he will play against the Predators on Sunday.
Kevin Fiala (LW)	Prob Tues	Acquired - 25 / 02 / 19	10-9	5-12-2	+ -
Fiala was acquired at the trade deadline and is expected to make his team debut Tuesday against the Jets.
Pontus Aberg (LW)	Ques Tues	Illness - 24 / 02 / 19	11-9	5-13-2	+ -
Aberg departed the previous game due to an illness and it is unknown if the symptoms will subside in time for Tuesday's matchup versus the Jets.
Matt Hendricks (C)	Ques Thurs	Upper Body - 13 / 02 / 19	13-13	7-17-2	+ -
Hendricks has missed the past three games due to an upper-body injury and it is undetermined if he will return against the Rangers on Thursday.

Calgary

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
David Rittich (G)	Doub Thurs	Rest - 11 / 04 / 19	1-4	1-4	+ -
Rittich is unlikely to participate in Game 1 of the Western Conference first round against the Avalanche as he is to be rested.
Matthew Tkachuk (LW)	Out Sat	Rest - 06 / 04 / 19	1-5	1-5	+ -
Tkachuk will not play in Saturday's game against the Oilers as he will be rested ahead of the playoffs.
Sean Monahan (C)	Prob Wed	Illness - 05 / 04 / 19	1-5	1-5	+ -
Monahan missed the regular season finale due to illness but it is not expected to impede his status for Game 1 of the Western Conference first round against the Avalanche.
TJ Brodie (D)	Out Wed	Rest - 03 / 04 / 19	2-5	2-5	+ -
Brodie is unlikely to take part in Wednesday's game against the Ducks due to a day of rest.
Mark Giordano (D)	Out Wed	Rest - 03 / 04 / 19	2-5	2-5	+ -
Giordano will be given the night off to rest and will not play Wednesday against the Ducks.
Travis Hamonic (D)	Out Wed	Rest - 03 / 04 / 19	2-5	2-5	+ -
Hamonic will not suit up against the Ducks on Wednesday as he is to be rested.
Noah Hanifin (D)	Out Wed	Rest - 03 / 04 / 19	2-5	2-5	+ -
Hanifin will be the recipient of a day of rest and is not expected to be available against the Ducks on Wednesday.
Elias Lindholm (C)	Out Wed	Rest - 03 / 04 / 19	2-5	2-5	+ -
Lindholm will not partake in Wednesday's tilt versus the Ducks so he can be given the night off to rest.
Sean Monahan (C)	Out Wed	Rest - 03 / 04 / 19	2-5	2-5	+ -
Monahan is unlikely to participate in Wednesday's matchup with the Ducks due to a day of rest.
Sam Bennett (C)	Prob Wed	Upper Body - 02 / 04 / 19	3-5	3-5	+ -
Bennett has been held out of the last two games of the regular season with an upper-body injury. His availability against the Avalanche for Game 1 of the Western Conference first round is likely.

Wild vs. Flames Prediction