Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the NHL regular season match.
The Florida Panthers kick off their third week of the regular season with a matchup against the Minnesota Wild. Over the weekend, the Panthers edged past the Vegas Golden Knights in overtime (4:3 OT). Meanwhile, the Wild are in the midst of a seven-game road trip and have amassed five out of a possible six points so far.
Florida Panthers
It's worth noting that the Florida Panthers have recently been winning too many close encounters. They have collected points in four consecutive games, winning three of them by just a single goal. However, they haven’t always been the sharper attacking side. In their last two outings against the Vegas Golden Knights and the Vancouver Canucks, the reigning champions allowed over 11 high-danger scoring chances in equal squads.
Minnesota Wild
Head coach John Hynes continues turning the Minnesota Wild into an elite defensive team. This year, they've settled on their first-choice goalkeeper: Filip Gustavsson will get significantly more starts than Marc-André Fleury. Thanks in large part to the Swede, the visitors are conceding just two goals per game, a figure supported by additional stats. The Wild boast the league's best xG allowed at even strength (1.96).
Florida Panthers vs Minnesota Wild Prediction
A strong, quality defence allows the Minnesota Wild to thrive in low-scoring games with equal chances. The Florida Panthers have faced this challenge as well, managing to score only five goals in their last three head-to-head meetings. We're backing the visitors for a win.
