Minnesota Wild vs New York Rangers Picks and Predictions March 13th 2025

Wild Look to Regain Scoring Touch Against Struggling Rangers

Neither the Minnesota Wild nor the New York Rangers are heading into Thursday’s matchup feeling confident.

The Wild have struggled to find the back of the net, scoring two or fewer goals in seven of their last eight games. Meanwhile, the Rangers are riding a four-game losing streak, bringing them dangerously close to matching their season-worst skid.

With the playoff race heating up, both teams know they can’t afford to let this slump continue.

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Rangers Searching for Answers as Skid Continues

For much of the season, the Rangers have been in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff hunt, but their current four-game losing streak has put them in a tough spot.

Defenseman William Borgen didn’t hold back when asked about the team’s recent struggles.

“It stinks,” Borgen admitted. “We’re in a playoff fight right now. We’re battling for every point. We’ve got to string together some wins if we want to make the playoffs.”

The Rangers’ next opportunity to get back on track comes in Saint Paul, Minn., against the Wild, marking the first meeting between these two teams this season.

Who Starts in Net for the Rangers?

New York could turn to either Igor Shesterkin or Jonathan Quick, who just signed a one-year contract extension on Wednesday worth $1.55 million.

• Shesterkin (21-22-4, 2.87 GAA, .905 SV%) has faced the Wild three times, holding a 2-1-0 record.
• Quick (9-6-2, 3.14 GAA, .896 SV%) has a much longer history against Minnesota, going 17-11-8 in 36 career games.

Regardless of who starts, the Rangers will need more offensive production, with Artemi Panarin (68 points) and Mika Zibanejad (48 points) leading the way.

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Can the Wild Solve Their Scoring Struggles?

While the Rangers are searching for a way to stop the bleeding, the Wild are still trying to generate offense.

Their latest effort—a 2-1 shootout win over Colorado—showed strong defensive play, but their lack of scoring remains a concern.

“Goals have been hard to come by,” defenseman Jake Middleton admitted. “So stingy defense is what we’ve got working for us.”

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Goaltending Decision for Minnesota

Head coach John Hynes has a choice between:

• Filip Gustavsson (25-14-3, 2.56 GAA, .915 SV%), who is 0-1-0 vs. the Rangers with a 4.58 GAA.
• Marc-André Fleury (12-8-1, 2.73 GAA, .904 SV%), a veteran who has played 65 career games against the Rangers, going 34-21-10.

With Minnesota desperate for goals, much of the pressure will be on Matt Boldy (55 points) and Marco Rossi (53 points) to break through offensively.

Hynes praised Boldy’s all-around game, even when he isn’t scoring.

“He’s not over-passing. He’s doing the things he needs to do to be a dominant player,” Hynes said.

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Final Thoughts: Must-Win Game for Both Teams

With the playoffs fast approaching, neither team can afford to drop more points.

• The Rangers need to stop their losing streak before it derails their postseason chances.
• The Wild must rediscover their scoring touch to stay competitive.

Which team will step up under pressure? Puck drops Thursday night in Saint Paul.