[7:00 PM] Wild @ Penguins

Who will WIN this matchup?

Minnesota Wild (6-4-1)

@ Pittsburgh Penguins (9-2-2)

 

Starting Goalies:

Devan Dubnyk(MIN): Confirmed

Marc-Andre Fleury(PIT): Confirmed

 

Current odds:

Minnesota Wild: (+150)

Pittsburgh Penguins: (-170)

 

• The Pittsburgh Penguins have won four consecutive home games and own a 6-0-1 mark at PPG Paints Arena heading into Thursday’s tilt versus the visiting Minnesota Wild. The Penguins added to those marks with a 4-3 victory over Connor McDavid and Edmonton to begin a three-game homestand Tuesday, improving to 6-0-1 mark in their last seven contests overall.

• Devan Dubnyk has stopped 147 of the last 150 shots he faced, but only has a 3-2-0 mark to show for it after yielding a third-period goal to Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog on Saturday. The 30-year-old netminder will face a sterner test against the potent offense of Pittsburgh (NHL sixth-best 3.08 goals per game), versus which he owns a 2-4-0 career mark with a 3.15 goals-against average. Dubnyk could be aided by Minnesota’s strong penalty kill, which has thwarted 16 of 17 short-handed opportunities over the last seven contests.

• While captain Sidney Crosby (club-best eight goals) was held without a point for the first time this season on Tuesday, fellow former Hart Trophy winner Evgeni Malkin scored his fifth goal in six games to increase his team-leading point total to 13. Both Crosby and Malkin have mauled Minnesota in their careers, with the former recording 15 points (including 11 assists) in 11 outings while the latter has 10 in eight contests. Phil Kessel (11), Patric Hornqvist (11) and Crosby (10) have also recorded double-digit points for the Penguins this season, with former Wild member Matt Cullen residing at nine (three goals, six assists).

• Minnesota C Eric Staal leads the team with four goals, all of them coming in wins this season.

• Pittsburgh recalled gritty F Tom Sestito from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Wednesday while sending D Chad Rehwedel to the American Hockey League club.

• Wild C Erik Haula returned to practice on Wednesday after missing the past seven games with a foot injury.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins

Confidence: 6/10

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