The St. Louis Blues knew that falling behind 3-1 in their playoff series against the Minnesota Wild would put their backs against the wall. That is exactly why they were able to come out more motivated than ever and win Game 4.
St. Louis dominated the final two periods of action to win 5-2, reaking a tough two-game losing streak and cashing on the NHL game betting odds
With the series shifting back to Minnesota, the Wild look to regain control and move one game away from advancing onto the next round. Which side is the best option if you betonline?
Headlines were made when the Blues head coach Craig Berube announced that Jordan Binnington would be starting in the net for Game 4. After all, Binnington had lost his last nine starts in the postseason.
However, he handled this moment like a true veteran. He made 28 saves and was a major reason for the Blues pulling away with a win.
It is yet to be known whether Binnington will be thrown into the net again in Game 5, but following Sunday’s stellar performance, it’s a good bet he is. Ville Husso shut out the Wild in Game 1 but then allowed nine goals on 59 shots in the following two contests.
The Wild were a healthy 31-10 at home while the Blues were just 23-18 on the road. St. Louis needs a strong effort in net, one of the areas where its play falls off when away from home.
Wild Needs Fast Start
Minnesota came out the gates looking to make a serious push in Game 4. The Wild scored a goal early on but fell asleep after that. They didn’t do much until the third period.
Head coach Dean Evason admitted to reporters that they just found their game too late in the contest. This group definitely needs to get off the ground quicker in Game 5 and the Wild have just the player to make that happen.
Kirill Kaprizov has scored five goals in the first four games and is tied for the most in a single series in franchise history. Kaprizov will likely be tasked with bringing the energy to the offensive end of the ice.
Blues vs Wild Head-to-Head
St. Louis has won five of the seven matchups against Minnesota in 2021-22, including all three in the regular season. This series has had big swings back and forth.
The Blues got a much-needed win at home in Game 4, though it is only going to get harder for them moving forward. Game 5 will be played on the road and that’s part of the reason why the Wild are favored in the sportsbook.
Sunday’s performance does leave some concerns for the remainder of this series. However, Minnesota ripped apart the Blues’ incredibly thin defense during both Game 2 and Game 3.
The Wild are certainly going to want to bounce back after an ugly outing in Game 3 as well. Take them with your NHL picks and roll with the favorite here.
Derrick Erickson has been entrenched in sports media over the last decade. From working in fantasy sports to the sports betting side of things, he's been plugged in for quite some time. His favorite teams include the Texas Longhorns, Dallas Cowboys, and Dallas Mavericks.
