To say the Minnesota Wild have dominated the Chicago Blackhawks in recent years would be a monumental understatement.
Similar to the Packers with Chicago’s football team, the Wild have owned the Blackhawks.
How wildly lopsided has it been? Consider these facts:
- Dating back more than four years, Minnesota has won the last 10 meetings against the Blackhawks, who have been outscored, 39-15.
- The 52 all-time wins against Chicago are the Wild’s third-most against any opponent.
- In 2015-16, the Wild swept the season series, 5-0-0, becoming the first team to win every game in a season series of at least five contests since Boston went 8-0-0 against Detroit in 1938-39.
What does that mean for Wednesday night’s matchup at the United Center? Probably much of the same.
While the teams occupy the bottom two spots in the Central Division, it’s not really that close, with Minnesota (21-23-5) sitting on 47 points after 49 games and Chicago (14-34-2) with 30 after 50.
The only advantage Chicago will enjoy Wednesday night will be in net, but we’ll get to that a little later. The Wild hold a distinct advantage almost everywhere else.
Pick your category for the teams in this matchup, and Minnesota ranks higher – goals per game, shots per game, power-play and shooting percentages, faceoff percentage goals allowed per game and shots on goal allowed per game.
In 5-on-5, the Blackhawks are inferior in expected-goals-for per 60 minutes (xGF/60), expected-goals-against per 60 minutes (xGA/60) and expected goal differential per 60 minutes.
Did we miss anything?
Now, to the advantage Chicago has in net, where Petr Mrázek is expected to get the start against Filip Gustavsson. The play of Mrázek has been one of the few positives for Chicago this season.
In a bounce-back season, Mrázek has posted a 2.92 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage across 34 games. He has a 6.41 goals saved above average, which ranks 15th among 69 qualified goaltenders.
However, Gustavsson might be the Wild’s Aaron Rodgers; he has owned the Blackhawks, or at as much as one can in two career starts. He’s 2-0 with a .954 save percentage and 1.50 goals-against average.
Gustavsson has been on a bit of a roll, too, with a .915 save percentage and 2.79 goals-against average over his past four starts.
The Wild won each of his two starts against Chicago by two goals. And conversely, Mrázek lost his last two starts against the Wild, who won each game, 4-1.
A similar result could be expected Wednesday night against a banged-up and beaten Blackhawks club that, quite frankly, is more geared up for its second straight No. 1 overall draft pick than anything else.
Pick: Wild -1.5 (+135 at BetMGM)
