Adam Williams presents his prediction for the NHL match.
This fixture is pivotal for the Minnesota Wild as they strive to stay in the race for a wild card berth. The team currently trails the Calgary Flames by four points, with the Calgary Flames holding a game in hand. Dropping points against the league’s lowest-ranked team is not a viable option. The San Jose Sharks have long fallen out of playoff contention and sit at the bottom of the NHL standings, with their focus now firmly on the upcoming draft.
Minnesota Wild
After enduring four consecutive defeats, the Wild responded with a 3:2 overtime win over the Dallas Stars. They have performed notably better on home ice this season, collecting 54% of their total points at home and winning five of their last seven games in their own arena. With Kirill Kaprizov sidelined due to injury, Matthew Boldy has assumed the leadership role in attack. He has registered a career-high 41 assists and leads the squad in regular season scoring with 26 goals and 41 assists. The Wild have won both meetings with the San Jose Sharks this season (5:2 and 3:1), extending their head-to-head winning streak to six games.
San Jose Sharks
The Sharks have endured a torrid time on the road, losing 29 of their 37 away games and collecting just 32% of the available points in those fixtures. They are currently on a six-game losing streak, having conceded 28 goals over that stretch. Heavy defeats have included losses to the New York Rangers (1:6), the Los Angeles Kings (1:8), and the Seattle Kraken (1:5). These results reflect ongoing issues in goal, with Alexandar Georgiev and Georgi Romanov posting save percentages of just 87.3%. The Sharks are conceding an average of 3.81 goals per game – the worst defensive record in the league. They last beat the Minnesota Wild in December 2022.
Minnesota Wild vs San Jose Sharks Prediction
The Minnesota Wild need to claim both points to keep their playoff ambitions alive. Given their strong home form, the struggles of a fatigued the San Jose Sharks on the road, and a dominant recent head-to-head record, the hosts are expected to deliver the result they need.
