The Minnesota Wild welcome the Los Angeles Kings to the Xcel Energy Center on Monday night in what promises to be an intriguing clash between two teams with contrasting fortunes.
The Kings enter the matchup riding high after a convincing 3-0 shutout against the Capitals, while the Wild look to bounce back from a narrow 3-2 loss to the Rangers - though their impressive 20.71% power play conversion rate could prove decisive.
All eyes will be on the goaltending battle between Darcy Kuemper for the visiting Kings and Filip Gustavsson for the home team Wild, with both netminders' save percentages hovering above the .910 mark this season.
Minnesota Wild vs. Los Angeles Kings prediction: who will win?
For tonight's Minnesota Wild vs Los Angeles Kings matchup, our predictive model gives the Kings a 65% chance of defeating the Wild.
Los Angeles Kings: 65% win probability
- Perfect recent form with 5 straight wins (WWWWW)
- Superior defensive record (169 goals against vs Wild's 194)
- Better points-per-game ratio (1.25 vs Wild's 1.18)
Minnesota Wild: 35% win probability
- Poor recent form with 3 losses in last 5 games (LLWLL)
- Negative goal differential (-10 goals on the season)
- Lower scoring efficiency (184 goals in 67 games vs Kings' 185 in 65)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts. Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts.
Minnesota Wild vs. Los Angeles Kings odds
Here are the latest odds for this NHL matchup as the Minnesota Wild host the Los Angeles Kings at home on Monday, March 17.
| Minnesota Wild | Los Angeles Kings | |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | +128 (via FanDuel Sportsbook) | -140 (via Caesars Sportsbook) |
Minnesota Wild vs. Los Angeles Kings preview
The Kings roll into the Xcel Energy Center looking to build on their impressive shutout victory against the Capitals, where their defense showed real grit in front of the net.
Minnesota's coming off a tough break against the Rangers, but their power play efficiency (converting 2 of 4 chances) shows they've got some fight left in them.
Keep your eyes on Darcy Kuemper between the pipes for LA - he's been rock-solid with a .914 career save percentage, though he'll have his work cut out against the Wild's opportunistic offense.
The Wild's Filip Gustavsson has been a revelation in net this season, posting an impressive .913 save percentage and making Minnesota's home ice advantage count.
Both teams have been playing some tight hockey lately - LA's managed 183 goals while Minnesota's notched 180, suggesting we're in for a real chess match.
The Kings' penalty kill could be the difference-maker here, as they've been significantly better at handling short-handed situations compared to Minnesota's struggling 70.83% kill rate.
What's got me intrigued is how the Kings' disciplined approach (just 12 penalty minutes in their last outing) might frustrate the Wild's power play unit, which has been one of their few bright spots lately.
This matchup at the X has all the makings of a classic Western Conference slugfest, with both teams desperate to strengthen their playoff positioning.
Key stats
- 1LA Kings enter with perfect 5-game win streak (WWWWW), while Wild struggle with 3 recent losses (LLWLL)
- 2Kings hold better defensive record with 169 goals against vs Wild's 194, despite playing 2 fewer games
- 3Wild sit 7th in Western Conference with 79 points, Kings close behind in 6th with 81 points from fewer games
- 4Kings show stronger goal differential at +16, while Wild stand at -10 for the season
Minnesota Wild vs. Los Angeles Kings form
Minnesota Wild vs. Los Angeles Kings head to head
Minnesota Wild
33%
Los Angeles Kings
67%
Dec 8, 2024
Los Angeles Kings
4 : 1
Minnesota Wild
Nov 6, 2024
Minnesota Wild
1 : 5
Los Angeles Kings
Apr 16, 2024
Los Angeles Kings
1 : 3
Minnesota Wild
Mar 21, 2024
Los Angeles Kings
6 : 0
Minnesota Wild
Oct 20, 2023
Minnesota Wild
3 : 7
Los Angeles Kings
Feb 22, 2023
Minnesota Wild
2 : 1
Los Angeles Kings
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