Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the NHL match.
The Minnesota Wild are stuck in a losing streak, while the Pittsburgh Penguins have gone two weeks without a regulation defeat. The question is whether the visitors have a reliable plan against the struggling Wild.
Minnesota Wild
The key strategy for any opponent is clear — stay disciplined and avoid penalties against the league’s best power play (31.8%), while exploiting The Wild’s disastrous penalty kill, which sits bottom of the NHL at 62.5%. The Winnipeg Jets didn’t even need to rely on special teams in their recent win, as Connor Hellebuyck’s 32 saves from 35 shots carried them through. The Wild converted just one of four power plays and still fell in overtime (3:4).
Pittsburgh Penguins
On the same night, the Pittsburgh Penguins lost 2:3 to the Philadelphia Flyers in a shootout but extended their points streak to seven games, with five wins and two shootout defeats. The veterans remain instrumental — Evgeni Malkin (16 points) and Sidney Crosby (15 points) drive the fifth-best power play in the league (28.6%). Goaltender Arturs Silovs has also provided stability, posting a 94.1% save rate in his last outing.
Minnesota Wild vs Pittsburgh Penguins Prediction
If the Pittsburgh Penguins can draw penalties, their power play should make the difference. Given their previous 3:1 win in Saint Paul and current form, the Penguins have every chance to extend their unbeaten run in regulation.
