Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 4/8/2022

Time: 8 p.m. ET

Venue: Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO

Where to watch: Bally Sports North, Bally Sports Midwest

DraftKings: Even

BetMGM: Even

Caesars: Even

Wild: 43-21-5

Blues: 40-20-10

Hooray for Friday hockey where we get a potentially important game within the Central Division for second place when the Minnesota Wild visit the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center. Because why not have a late-season matchup that could determine who gets to host the other in a playoff matchup?

And what a treat we’re in for because we need to really find out what kind of teams these are. It’s really an important game for both of these teams because on one hand, we have Minnesota playing well and having its young superstar take that next leap and a goalie tandem that might be the best in the league at this moment. And then we have St. Louis having won four of five and looking more and more like a true contender at this rate.

So there’s a lot to take in, and it’s the Wild coming into this game on the pissed off scale after losing 6-2 to the Nashville Predators on Tuesday. Despite a two-point night for Kirill Kaprizov, the Wild struggled defensively and were down to five defensemen for the most of the night when Matt Dumba left with a shoulder injury.

Marc-Andre Fleury gave up five goals on 32 shots, with three of those goals coming from Ryan Johansen.

“We have to find a way just to stay the hell out of the box because obviously, they’ve got special players and special power-play players and they hurt us,” Minnesota coach Dean Evason said after his team gave up three power-play goals in the first period. “Our 5-on-5 game is great.”

When you’re having to play with five defensemen most of the night, you can find yourself chasing and taking too many unnecessary penalties. Plus, putting 49 shots on Juuse Saros and him stopping all but two of them did not help matters.

Saros is already established as a potential Vezina Trophy finalist and it’d be shocking if he didn’t get some consideration. But still, Minnesota should not have given up that much and should’ve gotten more net-front to make life tough on Saros.

They’re going to absolutely need to do that against the Blues, especially if Ville Husso is continuing to play at this absurd level he’s on right now. Husso has won 21 of 32 starts and has seemingly taken over the starting role from Jordan Binnington in St. Louis. That cap hit is looking mighty horrible now.

The Blues’ defense has been tremendous the last two games, albeit against Arizona and St. Louis, but the Blues are getting enough play from their young goalie to give them some real hope heading into the playoffs. Husso made 28 saves, and Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas scored for the Blues’ 40th win of the season.

“Every game from this point on, you've got to be in playoff mode,” Kyrou said.

Nothing will ever match that “Gloria” run for the Blues but once they get in, things can change in an instant. I like the way they’ve defended in front of Husso to make his life a little easier. Also, the Vladimir Tarasenko renaissance has been something to behold while the likes of Kyrou and Thomas carry the youth movement the way they have. It’s been great to watch.

But ultimately, goaltending will be the difference in this matchup.

With the likelihood that Cam Talbot will go back in net after Fleury played last start, Talbot should play better going into this matchup and I think he’s going to get the job done. The Wild need somewhat of a statement victory after laying the egg in Nashville, and this would be one way to do it while creating some leg room in the division. Minnesota in a close one. Wild win 4-3

Wild are 22-6 this season when playing a second game in five days.

Wild are 14-5 following a division game this season.

Blues are 13-8 this season against division opponents.

Blues are 1-5 this season after allowing two goals or less in consecutive games. 

Wild:

Kirill Kaprizov -- Ryan Hartman -- Mats Zuccarello

Kevin Fiala -- Frederick Gaudreau -- Tyson Jost

Jordan Greenway -- Joel Eriksson Ek -- Marcus Foligno

Brandon Duhaime -- Nick Bjugstad -- Nicolas Deslauriers

Jacob Middleton -- Jared Spurgeon

Jonas Brodin -- Matt Dumba

Alex Goligoski -- Dmitry Kulikov

Cam Talbot

Blues:

Brandon Saad -- Ryan O'Reilly -- David Perron

Pavel Buchnevich -- Robert Thomas -- Vladimir Tarasenko

Ivan Barbashev -- Brayden Schenn -- Jordan Kyrou

Mackenzie MacEachern -- Nathan Walker -- Alexei Toropchenko

Marco Scandella -- Colton Parayko

Nick Leddy -- Justin Faulk

Calle Rosen -- Robert Bortuzzo

Ville Husso

Points: Kirill Kaprizov -- 87

Goals: Kirill Kaprizov -- 40

Assists: Mats Zuccarello -- 50

Goalie: Cam Talbot -- 28-12-2, 2.78 GAA, .912 SV%

Points: Jordan Kyrou -- 63

Goals: Vladimir Tarasenko -- 25

Assists: Robert Thomas -- 44

Goalie: Ville Husso -- 21-6-5, 2.36 GAA, .924 SV%