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The Nashville Predators will make the short trip from Winnipeg to take on the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night. The Predators are on the second night of a back-to-back after taking on the Jets on Monday. It hasn't been an easy year for the Predators after seemingly upgrading their team during the offseason, as they haven't been able to string enough wins together to become contenders in the conference. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Wild weren't sure what to expect for this season, but they are one of the top teams in the league thanks to their elite goaltender play. The Wild took care of the Predators in their first matchup this season, winning 3-2 in overtime on November's last day. It's time to continue our NHL odds series with a Predators-Wild prediction and pick.
Here are the Predators-Wild NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Predators-Wild Odds
Nashville Predators: +1.5 (-190)
Moneyline: +125
Minnesota Wild: -1.5 (+160)
Moneyline: -150
Over: 5.5 (-130)
Under: 5.5 (+110)
How To Watch Predators vs. Wild
Time: 8 PM ET/5 PM PT
TV: Fanduel Sports Network
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Why the Predators Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Predators were slowly starting to turn it around before the holiday break, winning four of six games and doing it against some of the league's best teams. They had impressive wins over the Dallas Stars, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, and Carolina Hurricanes. However, it was all for naught when they allowed seven goals to the St. Louis Blues in the first game after the break and then lost again to the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night. It feels like the Predators can't get out of their own way, and it has gotten too late, too early in this season. It's unlikely that the Predators will find their way out of this hole now, but they'll need to avoid dropping three straight if they have any hope.
It'll be interesting to monitor what direction the Predators go with their goaltending situation on Tuesday night. They took Saros out in the Blues game after a rough outing, and he was also the losing goaltender on Monday night. Justus Annunen hasn't been terrible since coming from the Colorado Avalanche, as his most recent start was a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Starting Annunen in this game could be the lift the Predators need.
Why the Wild Could Cover the Spread/Win
Like the Predators, the Wild are desperate to win after losing five of their last seven games. They had a rough pre-holiday break when they lost four straight games, but they bounced back with a win in the final game before the break and an impressive overtime win over the Dallas Stars in the first game after the break. The Wild are losing ground in the Central Division to the Winnipeg Jets, and their most recent loss to the Ottawa Senators could be a wake-up call.
Final Predators-Wild Prediction & Pick
As the old saying goes, fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Well, in the case of the Predators, they've been fooling everyone all season, and it seems like we wonder if every game will be the time they break out. They looked good before the break, and everyone got fooled again, but back-to-back losses, including a shutout loss on Monday night, make us cautious about trusting them again. Take the Wild to get back on track in this game.
Final Predators-Wild Prediction & Pick: Wild ML (-150)
