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The Minnesota Wild have been rolling along and sit in a three-way tie for the most points in the league, tied with the Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals. The Wild will visit Utah, as it'll be the teams' first matchup since Utah's relocation. The Wild have won three straight against the franchise, as the Arizona Coyotes won the first game last season but dropped three consecutive games by a combined score of 12-4. It's time to continue our NHL odds series with a Wild-Utah Hockey Club prediction and pick.
Here are the Wild-Utah HC NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Wild-Utah HC Odds
Minnesota Wild: -1.5 (+220)
Moneyline: -120
Utah Hockey Club: +1.5 (-270)
Moneyline: +100
Over: 5.5 (-115)
Under: 5.5 (-105)
How To Watch Wild vs. Utah HC
Time: 9:30 PM ET/6:30 PM PT
TV: ESPN+
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Wild Could Cover the Spread/Win
There isn't enough hype surrounding the Wild's torrid pace to start the season. Surprisingly, they are first in the NHL, their goaltending has been dynamite, and Kirill Kaprizov is climbing the ranks as a frontrunner for the Hart Trophy. The Los Angeles Kings snapped the team's five-game winning streak on Saturday, but the Wild are still 7-2-1 over their past ten games.
The Wild's goaltenders are a story that won't go away as they continue to succeed. Neither starting goaltender has allowed more than two goals over their past five starts and continues to own two of the best records and statistics in the league. Filip Gustavsson will likely be the starter for this game, and he has a 13-4-3 record with a 1.99 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage.
The Wild aren't just a defense-first team that will win many low-scoring games. Minnesota had 3+ goals in four of their five wins on the streak and ranked 12th in the league with 3.19 goals per game. There are times when the offense dries up, but it hasn't happened too often lately.
Why the Utah HC Could Cover the Spread/Win
Utah had some issues through the middle of this season after a hot start. However, they've been heating up with a 4-1-1 record over their last six games. This is thanks to their offense, as they've scored three or more goals in five of the six games. The most impressive victory was a 6-0 win on the road against the Vegas Golden Knights, which signaled that Utah could beat some of the league's top teams. However, they still have some work to do, as they sit fifth in the Central Division with a 12-11-4 record.
Karel Vejmelka will likely get the start in this game, as he has the best chance of dueling Gustavsson. Vejmelka doesn't have the record to show for it, but he has been much better than Connor Ingram this season. Vejmelka has a 2.35 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage.
Final Wild-Utah HC Prediction & Pick
The Wild won't take kindly to losing to the Kings on Saturday, and they generally bounce back well after a poor offensive performance. Vejmelka deserves more love for his numbers, but he runs into one of the few goalies whose numbers are better in this matchup, which could make it a long night for the Utah Hockey Club. The odds don't make sense, and we must take the Wild as a slight favorite. The Wild have some injury concerns but have been persevering so far.
Final Wild-Utah HC Prediction & Pick: Wild ML (-120)
