There’s a minor case to be made for the Wild here if you’re willing to be brave.
This is the first half of a back to back for Minnesota, while the Stars are prepping for a brutal rest of the week that sees them play four road games across six nights starting Thursday.
The Wild will head straight back home to host Vegas on Wednesday, but with a 7-3 record over their last 10 games in the first of a back to back, I think you can back them as outsiders.
The Isles are probably the play here, even if the Jackets are coming off a two-day break.
Columbus has been awful since the Four Nations break, losing six straight games including four by multiple goals.
The Isles are heating up in the Wild Card race and are likely to have Ilya Sorokin in net, which is obviously a huge advantage over the Jackets, who are left relying on Elvis Merzlikins following Saturday’s 5-1 loss to Pittsburgh.