The Minnesota Wild (2-1-1) and St. Louis Blues (2-1-1) face off, both teams eager to continue their excellent beginnings and improve their Central Division ranking. The Wild, fueled by their determination to redeem themselves after two straight OT defeats, are set to give their all, while the Blues aim to rebound from a recent setback.
Minnesota’s attack, spearheaded by Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov, has been uneven, with just eight goals in three games. This inconsistency in their attack is a concern that the Wild hope to address. They are banking on defender Brock Faber to ignite the attack from the point. Meanwhile, the Blues attack has been on fire, scoring 11 goals, with Jordan Kyrou, Pavel Buchnevich, and Robert Thomas leading the way.
The Wild’s defense, led by Brock Faber and Jonas Brodin, has been nothing short of impressive, allowing just eight goals. Goaltender Filip Gustavsson has been outstanding, stopping 94.1% of his shots. This solid defense is a reassuring factor for the Wild fans. The Blues’ defense has struggled, surrendering ten goals. Despite this, Jordan Binnington has been dependable in goal, with a.900 save percentage.
Given the Wild’s outstanding defensive performance, the Blues’ previous defensive troubles, and the Wild’s determination to recover, I expect a close game. I’d wager on the Wild on the 3-way moneyline in the first period, as they might start strong before the Blues’ attack gets going.