The Minnesota Wild have scored just two goals in their last four games overall. Though they did score last against the Dallas Stars in Game 2 of the Western Conference quarterfinals, moral victories aren't going to get them very far. Minnesota has an 0-2 hole to work out of in this best-of-seven series, and progress must start being made Monday night to keep its season off life support.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
Even though this series has shifted back to Minnesota, the Stars are still going to be favored. They were -204 when the line closed in Game 2, and though that game was closer than the first, Dallas was always the better team and was deserving of the victory.
GOALIE REPORT
Poor Devan Dubnyk. He was really pretty darn good in Game 2, stopping 26-of-28 shots faced. The first goal he allowed was quirky as it was, as Antoine Roussel more or less kicked over the back of the net and off of Dubnyk's shoulder, causing the puck to slot past the line.
Dubnyk hasn't been remarkable, but he's deserved a lot better than his two losses and five goals allowed on 59 shots.
Kari Lehtonen meanwhile, has been stellar. He hasn't had to face a heck of a lot tough shots, and that makes his .979 save percentage a little less impressive. That's not to say that he hasn't been good, but don't think that because Lehtonen has allowed just one goal that he's been a world-beater.
LIVE BETTING
Our real concern with Minnesota is that it just has these stretches where its offense should be doing a lot better where it shouldn't. Early in the third period, Jason Spezza took a penalty for hooking. The Wild, who badly needed a goal to tie the game up, didn't get a single shot on goal.
Sure, Minnesota scored on the power play later in the period when Marco Scandella put the puck in the back of the net, but at that point, Jamie Benn had already made the game 2-0, and that goal felt like it was of significantly less importance.
The Wild finally looked good down the stretch in the closing moments, but they weren't able to put quality shots on net in spite of their mad scrambles.
QUICK PICK
Minnesota just isn't good enough to compete in this series, and it's showing. Game 2 was a close-run thing, and the Wild probably should argue that they deserved to be in overtime. Would they have won the game if the game had gotten there? Who knows?
The Stars aren't likely to only score two goals in this one with as well as they've played offensively all season long, and we don't think Dubnyk is going to be able to keep up with the pressure.
Minnesota's offense might get a boost from getting Zach Parise back, but even then, this team just has no offense whatsoever. If the Stars can get to three, they should end up winning this game.
NHL Odds: Stars 3, Wild 1
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