The return of stars Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek has revitalized Minnesota's offense just in time for Friday's crucial matchup at Scotiabank Saddledome, where the Wild need just one win to secure their postseason spot.
Calgary's season hangs by a thread after a heartbreaking overtime loss to Anaheim, leaving them desperate for a victory against a team that's suddenly firing on all cylinders offensively.
With the Flames struggling to find consistent scoring and facing elimination, expect a tension-filled battle as the desperate Calgary Flames host a resurgent Minnesota Wild squad looking to complete the season sweep.
Calgary Flames vs. Minnesota Wild prediction: who will win?
For today's Calgary Flames vs Minnesota Wild matchup, our predictive model gives the Wild a 77.5% chance of defeating the Flames.
Pre-game probabilities
Calgary Flames
Moneyline
Win %
22.5%
77.5%
Minnesota Wild
Calgary Flames: 22.5% win probability
- Poor recent form (LWLWL compared to Wild's WWLLL, showing inconsistency)
- Lower win percentage (37 wins in 78 games compared to Wild's 43 wins in 79 games)
- Defensive vulnerabilities (229 goals against compared to their 206 goals scored, showing negative goal differential)
Minnesota Wild: 77.5% win probability
- Higher league position (7th in Western Conference compared to Flames' 9th position)
- More season points (93 points compared to Flames' 88 points in similar games played)
- Better goal-scoring capability (220 goals for compared to Flames' 206 goals)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts.
Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts.
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Calgary Flames vs. Minnesota Wild preview
Friday's crucial Western Conference showdown between the Minnesota Wild and Calgary Flames has massive playoff implications, with the Flames facing elimination if they lose this home matchup at Scotiabank Saddledome.
The Wild, tied with St. Louis for the top wild card spot, can clinch their playoff berth with a win and are finally getting healthy at the perfect time – Kirill Kaprizov returned with a bang last game (2G, 1A) while Joel Eriksson Ek exploded for four goals in his comeback from injury.
Calgary sits five points behind Minnesota with their postseason hopes hanging by a thread after suffering a gut-wrenching 4-3 overtime defeat to Anaheim where they blew a late two-goal lead.
This matchup features two solid goaltenders, with Minnesota likely turning to Filip Gustavsson (30-18-6, 2.54 GAA) against Calgary's Dustin Wolf (26-16-8, 2.64 GAA) who's been sharp in April despite the team's inconsistent play.
The Flames, typically stingy defensively, have struggled to generate offense all season and have scored more than three goals just once in their last eight games.
Minnesota holds the statistical edge at 217 goals scored versus Calgary's 202, though both teams pride themselves on blocking shooting lanes and looking for counterattack opportunities.
The stakes couldn't be higher for these teams who've already played twice this season – Calgary winning both previous matchups (4-3 in shootout and 5-4 on the road) and now looking to complete their first season sweep of the Wild since 2016-17.
With Minnesota finally at full strength and Calgary fighting for their playoff lives, expect an intense, defensive battle where special teams could make the difference – the Wild convert 21.5% of power plays while the Flames sit at a respectable 20.44%.
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