2023 NHL Playoffs: Wild vs. Stars Betting Preview and Prediction

Two Central Division rivals will get another chance to go head-to-head as the Minnesota Wild face off against the Dallas Stars in a Western Conference round-one matchup. This matchup has all the makings to be a defensive battle. Both of these teams are averaging under 2.7 goals against per game. 

This matchup also features two of the brightest young stars in the league as Kirill Kaprizov for Minnesota and Jason Robertson of Dallas will meet and go head-to-head in a best-of-seven matchup as they are near the top of the NHL player stats list.

Puck drop for this Game 1 contest is scheduled for 9:30 pm ET on ESPN2.

Minnesota Wild vs Dallas Stars

Location of the game: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX.

Date and Time: Monday, April 17th, 2023, 9:30 pm ET.

How to Watch: ESPN2

Lost their regular season finale 4-3 in overtime to the Nashville Predators.

Won their last regular season game 1-0 against the St. Louis Blues. 

The Minnesota Wild were one of the top teams at the top of the NHL team stats for the majority of the regular season. They sputtered their way into the playoffs and finished their regular seasonNHL schedule with a lackluster feeling as they lost their final two regular season games. 

Throughout the year, the Wild posted a 37-45 record against the spread. Against the over, Minnesota finished with a 36-45-1 record. Keep these trends in mind when making your Wild vs Stars score prediction. 

For the Wild, their team flows through two main players. Forward, Kirill Kaprizov led the team with 75 points throughout the season and is expected to propel this team forward this postseason. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury will have to shut the door as he posted a 24-16-6 record with a 2.85 GAA and a .908 save percentage.

Dallas has proven to be a top team in the NHL and has moved up the ladder in terms of the NHL Stanley Cup odds. They did this with their consistent play as they finished the regular season on a six-game win streak. Their recent play has propelled them to the top of many NHL predictions. 

They are winning games with their defensive play, as they have only hit the “over” 36 times during the regular season. Dallas did finish the regular season with a winning record against the spread, as they finished 43-39. 

Keep an eye out for the young star Jason Robertson for this team. He is a consistent name at the top of NHL stats lists. He will be looked at as a key player. Be sure to keep Robertson in the back of your mind when making your Wild vs Stars score prediction.

Be sure to review the odds before making your Wild vs Stars score prediction.

Moneyline: The Dallas Stars are the Moneyline favorites at -148 at home, while the Wild are underdogs at +134.

Point Spread: Currently, Dallas is -1.5 with +186 odds, while Minnesota is +1.5 with -216 odds.

Over/Under: The goal total is set at 5.5 between these two teams. The over odds are +108, while the under odds are -119.

When taking all stats and trends into consideration, it is obvious that this game and series will be close the entire way. Pick the Stars at home, as they posted a 22-10 record in Texas on the Moneyline. This will be a one-goal game, so the Wild will cover the spread as these teams will go under the 5.5-goal total.

Two defensive teams going head-to-head in a tough playoff matchup where space is limited is why these teams will play a one-goal affair Monday evening.

• Final Score Prediction: 3-2 Dallas Stars
• Pick: Dallas Stars Moneyline & Under

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