Minnesota ended the regular season after losing back-to-back games but got themselves in a good position despite losing their top skater in the final month of the season. The Stars won their last six games to end the regular season and look to get off to a hot start in the postseason. Which of these teams can jump out to their 1-0 start?

Wild vs. Stars NHL Playoffs Betting Odds

The Wild are currently 8-3 in their last 11 games played when going up against teams from the Central Division. They are also just 2-5 in their last seven games overall up to this point and 0-4 in their last four games against teams with a winning record. As for the total, the over is 7-2-1 in their last 10 games against teams from the Central Division. It is also 7-3-1 in Minnesota’s last 11 games played on the road.

Flipping over to the Stars, Dallas has won their last six games overall and eight out of their last nine games against teams from the Central Division. Their over has hit in 12 out of their last 16 games when they are coming off a win in their previous game. It’s also 6-2-2 in their last 10 games against the Central Division.

Minnesota Wild

Minnesota definitely shocked a lot of people with the way that they competed after their star scorer Kirill Kaprizov was lost due to a short-term injury. He missed the last month of the regular season while Minnesota was in the middle of a heated playoff race. Despite his absence, the Wild ended the year 8-3-2 and averaged 3.71 goals per game. With Kaprizov anticipated to return to the lineup, they could take an even larger jump offensively if he fits back in smoothly.

Matt Boldy was the most important offensive piece in Kaprizov’s absence. He knocked in 12 goals throughout that final month to help them get up to this point. The Wild’s offense will be something to watch in this series as the team scored just seven goals in the four regular season meetings. Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger posted a .937 save percentage against them.

Dallas Stars

Speaking of Oettinger, he was tied for the third-best record with a 37-11-11 final, the seventh-best GAA at 2.37, and tied for the sixth-best save percentage at .919. Not to mention that he ended the regular season with the second most shutouts under his belt at five. He a had a rough month in March but he ended the regular season strong. He’s allowed just 11 goals in his last eight games.

The Stars excel at that end but they’re not a defensive team, though. They finished the year seventh in goals per game at 3.41. Jason Robertson is a youngster that’s really taken the league by storm, scoring 109 points this year, with the next closest skater on the team coming in at 78. Max Domi was added in at the trade deadline and has been able to create opportunities too, notching seven points in 20 games. The offense has to carry over their regular season performance if this team is to make a run.

Game 1 Prediction: Who Will Win Wild vs. Stars?

WILD

Away

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STARS

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