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The Minnesota Wild will try and end their slump as they head to Providence Center to face the New Jersey Devils. We're here to share our NHL odds series, make a Wild-Devils prediction, and pick while showing you how to watch.
The Wild lost 3-2 in a shootout to the Washington Capitals on Friday. Initially, it was 2-1 Capitals heading into the third period. But Ryan Hartman scored 1:16 into the period to tie it. Later, the Wild lost in a crazy shootout that took seven rounds to finish when John Carlson hit the game-winner and Darcy Kuemper stopped a Pat Maroon shot. Marc Andre-Fleury made 31 saves. Significantly, the Wild won 47 percent of its faceoffs and went 0 for 5 on the powerplay while going 2 for 3 on the penalty kill. The Wild leveled 10 hits and blocked 15 shots.
The Devils defeated the Buffalo Sabres 5-4 on Friday. Early on, there were a lot of goals, as it was 2-2 after the first. It was 3-3 after two periods. Then, the Devils got the go-ahead goal in the third when Erika Haula struck for his second of the game. The Devils also got contributions from Jack Hughes and Alexander Holtz throughout the game. Meanwhile, Vitek Vanecek made 23 saves. The Devils won 61 percent of their draws. Also, they went 1 for 4 on the powerplay and killed off both penalties. They also laid 10 hits while blocking 12 shots.
The Wild swept the season series in 2022-2023. Amazingly, they have won five in a row in the series. One of the wins was a 2-1 overtime win at the Providence Center last season. Significantly, Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson went 2-0 with a 1.38 goals-against average and a save percentage of .968 against the Devils.
Here are the NHL Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Wild-Devils Odds
Minnesota Wild: +1.5 (-160)
New Jersey Devils: -1.5 (+132)
Over: 6.5 (-128)
Under: 6.5 (+104)
How to Watch Wild vs. Devils
Time: 5:00 PM ET/2:00 PM PT
TV: ESPN+,, Bally Sports North, Bally Sports Wisconsin, and MSG Network.
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Wild Will Cover The Spread
The Wild have struggled early in the season. Unfortunately, they have not scored consistently. But they have also seen poor defense and mediocre goaltending from Gustavsson, who was amazing last season.
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Mats Zuccarello leads the team with two goals and seven assists on 21 shots. Also, he has won 77 faceoffs and lost 88. Joel Eriksson Ek has five goals and four assists while taking 24 shots. Kirill Kaprizov has two goals and seven assists while sniping 31 shots and scoring on a 6.5 percent shooting rate. Meanwhile, Hartman now has five goals and three assists while winning 47 faceoffs and losing 53.
Gustavsson is 2-2-1 with a 4.36 goals-against average and a save percentage of .885. However, he has struggled since the season opener, when he shut out the Florida Panthers. If the Wild go with Fleury, then they will start a guy who is 1-1-1 with a 2.96 goals-against average and a save percentage of .895.
The Wild will cover the spread if Kaprizov can start scoring. Then, the team must play better defense in front of whoever starts, and the goalie must excel.
Why The Devils Will Cover The Spread
The Devils have exploded out of the gate and are on fire offensively. However, they still have some weaknesses to address, as neither goalie is doing well enough to make this team a contender.
Hughes has five goals and 13 assists while shooting 30 times. Additionally, he has scored on a 16.7 percent shooting rate. But Hughes has struggled in the faceoff circle, winning just 31 draws and losing 62. Meanwhile, Jesper Bratt has four goals and seven assists while scoring on a remarkable 26.7 percent shooting taste on 15 shots. Tyler Toffoli has six goals and three assists while taking 28 shots and scoring on a 21.4 percent shooting rate. Also, Dougie Hamiton has three goals and three assists on 23 shots. Timo Meier has one goal and five assists.
Vanecek enters the contest with a 3-2 record, a 3.30 goals-against average, and a save percentage of .891. Also, backup Akira Schmid is 1-0-1 with a goals-against average of 4.07 with a save percentage of .863.
The Devils will cover the spread if Hughes and friends continue to score. Then, they need Vanecek and the defense to play much better to protect any leads they gain.
Final Wild-Devils Prediction & Pick
The Wild are struggling. Yet, for some reason, they do well against the Devils. Expect all the oddsmakers to favor the Devils heavily. Then, expect the exact opposite to happen in this contest. Gustavsson is overdue for a great game. Ultimately, this will be the game that helps turn his season around. Wild somehow finds a way to cover the spread.
Final Wild-Devils Prediction & Pick: Minnesota Wild: +1.5 (-160)
