Penguins vs Wild Picks and Prediction – 3/9/2025

On Sunday, the Pittsburgh Penguins (24-30-10) face off against the Minnesota Wild (36-22-4) at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Make sure you stay up to date with all the NHL action, with our expert NHL picks.

Minnesota comes into this matchup on a two-game winning streak, but has dropped three of their last five games prior to their game against Vancouver. In a thrilling 4-3 victory over Seattle, Marcus Johansson played a crucial role for the Minnesota Wild, contributing with two key assists. This season, Kirill Kaprizov stands out as the team's top goal scorer, having netted 23 goals. Hot on his heels are Matt Boldy and Marco Rossi, who have each scored 21 goals, making them tied for the second spot in terms of goals scored for the team this year. Boldy is also leading the Wild in overall points, amassing a total of 53 points this season, with an impressive 32 of those coming from assists, putting him at the top of the assists leaderboard as well. Over their last five matchups, the Wild have averaged 3.4 goals against per game, and they are currently holding onto third place in the Central Division standings. With a focus on continuing their winning streak, Minnesota aims to achieve a clean sweep in their season series against the Penguins. The team's offensive performance averages out to 2.8 goals per game.

Pittsburgh enters this game on a three-game losing streak and has dropped four of their last five games prior to their game against Vegas. During their 4-1 defeat against the Colorado Avalanche, the Pittsburgh Penguins' only goal came from Rickard Rakell. Rakell is having an impressive season and is the current leading goal-scorer for Pittsburgh with 29 goals under his belt. Trailing him in goal scoring for the Penguins is Bryan Rust, who has found the back of the net 21 times this season. The team’s overall points leader, Sidney Crosby, has accumulated a total of 66 points, showcasing his excellent playmaking with a team-leading 47 assists. Recently, Pittsburgh's defense has struggled, allowing an average of 4.6 goals against them in the last five matchups. As a result, they find themselves at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division standings. The Penguins have not had one of their better seasons, but they are eager to even the season series as they travel to Saint Paul. Collectively, Pittsburgh has averaged 2.9 goals per game throughout this season.

Pittsburgh's defensive lineup has been significantly weakened, and Minnesota is eager to capitalize on this vulnerability when they face off in Saint Paul. In their last encounter, the Wild emerged victorious over the Penguins and are now aiming to win both games in their season series. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is determined to rebound and secure a win to even the series against Minnesota. Final Score Prediction, Minnesota Wild wins 5-1.