NHL: Minnesota Wild vs St. Louis Blues odds, picks, and predictions

The Xcel Energy Center hosts Game 2 of the West First Round NHL Playoffs between the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild on Wednesday. The St. Louis Blues are looking for their second straight victory to take a 2-0 series lead. The Minnesota Wild needs to win this game to tie the series at one game apiece. The Blues are scoring on 33.3 percent of their power play attempts, averaging 4 goals per game. St. Louis is led by David Perron, who has three goals, three assists, and four shots on goal. The Blues are surrendering zero goals per game on defense and killing 100 percent of their opponents' power plays. On 37 shots faced, Ville Husso has allowed zero goals.

The Minnesota Wild are averaging 0 goals per game and converting on 0% of their power-play chances. With five shots on goal, Kirill Kaprizov leads Minnesota, followed by Joel Eriksson Ek with five and Kevin Fiala with four. The Minnesota Wild allow four goals per game on defense and kills 66.7 percent of their opponents' power plays. On 31 shots faced, Marc-Andre Fleury has given up four goals.

The Blues have won eight of their past nine road games and are 13-3 in their last sixteen games overall. The Wild have won 51 of their previous 68 games at home and are 19-7 overall in their past 26 games. In the Blues' last 27 games, the over is 19-7-1. In the last 24 meetings between the Wild and the Central, the over is 15-7-2. The Blues have won four of their previous five encounters in Minnesota, and are 14-3 in their last seventeen. The Minnesota Wild should be favorites because they are playing at home and can't really lose this game and still win the series. The St. Louis Blues, on the other hand, has excelled on the road and as the underdog for much of the season. In addition, the Blues have won six straight games versus the Wild, as well as 10 of the previous 11 matchups.

Minnesota Wild vs St. Louis Blues predictions

My Pick: St. Louis Blues