Minnesota Wild vs Florida Panthers Picks and Predictions December 18th 2024

Marc-Andre Fleury Takes the Lead for Minnesota Wild

Veteran goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has transitioned into a complementary role in his 21st NHL season. However, with Filip Gustavsson sidelined due to a lower-body injury sustained during a 7-1 loss to Edmonton last week, Fleury has stepped up as the Wild’s primary option between the pipes.

The 40-year-old Fleury is set to make his third start in six games when the Minnesota Wild host the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night in St. Paul, Minn. Fleury has expressed a team-first mindset in his new role, saying, “If I can give the team a chance to win when I’m in there, I think that’s all I want. Obviously, winning is always the goal.”

Minnesota Seeks Consistency

The Wild (8-5-1 at home) have struggled to string together wins, alternating victories and defeats over their last six games. Their most recent outing resulted in a 3-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday.

Minnesota has relied heavily on star forward Kirill Kaprizov, who has been on fire with 13 points (nine goals, four assists) over his past 10 games. Kaprizov has scored two goals in each of his last two games and leads the team with 47 points (22 goals, 25 assists) in 30 games.

Supporting Kaprizov are Matt Boldy (29 points) and Marco Rossi (25 points), who have contributed consistently. However, the team will need more secondary scoring to keep pace with high-powered offenses like Florida’s.

Florida Riding Momentum

The defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers (10-6-1 on the road) come into Wednesday’s matchup riding a 7-2-1 streak in their last 10 games. Florida showcased resilience in a 6-5 victory over Edmonton on Monday night.

Coach Paul Maurice has praised contributions from all lines, particularly the energy and impact of the fourth line, consisting of Tomas Nosek, A.J. Greer, and Jonah Gadjovich. Maurice highlighted their influence, saying, “Now they get a real big piece of that win, which builds your room.”

Offensively, Sam Reinhart leads the Panthers with 41 points (20 goals, 21 assists), while Matthew Tkachuk (31 points) and Aleksander Barkov (29 points) provide additional firepower. Barkov missed Florida’s last game due to illness, and his status remains uncertain.

Goaltending Matchup

Florida has a strong tandem in Sergei Bobrovsky and Spencer Knight. Bobrovsky is likely to get the nod after a shaky outing against Edmonton, where he allowed five goals on 30 shots. Despite the rough game, Bobrovsky’s career numbers against Minnesota are solid: 13-5-1 with a 2.37 GAA and a .918 save percentage in 20 appearances.

Knight could also step in if Maurice opts for a change. He has a 5-5-1 record this season and posted a perfect performance in a previous appearance against Minnesota, stopping all six shots he faced.

For Minnesota, Fleury brings extensive experience against Florida. In 32 career games against the Panthers, Fleury boasts an 18-10-2 record with a 2.29 GAA and a .922 save percentage.

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What to Expect

The Wild will look to capitalize on their home-ice advantage while leaning on Fleury’s veteran presence and Kaprizov’s hot streak. Meanwhile, the Panthers aim to maintain their road dominance and extend their strong run of form.

With both teams dealing with recent injuries and lineup adjustments, the game could hinge on depth contributions and goaltending performances.

Prediction: Minnesota edges Florida in a tight defensive battle, 3-2, with Fleury turning in a standout performance.