The Vancouver Canucks are leading the Pacific Division and the Minnesota Wild are last in the Central. Yet the NHL game odds for Thursday’s game in the Twin Cities might surprise NHL bettors.
How to Bet Canucks at Wild NHL Hockey Odds & TV Info
#FantasyHockey team power rankings: 1. Tampa Bay Lightning 2. Toronto Maple Leafs 3. Washington Capitals 4. Boston Bruins 5. Pittsburgh Penguins 12. Vancouver Canucks Full list on @NHLdotcom:https://t.co/IalyyIiBun
— Rob Reese (@NHLReese) January 31, 2020
- When: Thursday, 8 PM ET
- Where: Xcel Energy Center
- TV: NHL Center Ice
- NHL Odds: Wild -1½ (Total: 6)
Season Series
Second of three meetings. On Jan. 12 also at Minnesota, the Wild were 4-1 losers. The Canucks scored three times in the second period. Bo Horvat scored twice overall for Winnipeg, and Troy Stecher and Elias Pettersson also found the net. Jacob Markstom stopped 23 shots. Devan Dubnyk made 26 saves, and Marcus Foligno scored for Minnesota. The Wild were held to 24 total shots. Minnesota went 0 for 5 on the man-advantage.
Why Bet on Vancouver?
The Canucks lost a second in a row Tuesday, 4-0 at a very good Boston side. Charlie Coyle had a goal and an assist, Tuukka Rask stopped 25 shots for his third shutout this season and the Bruins extended their winning streak to four games. Brad Marchand, David Krejci and Karson Kuhlman also scored. Charlie McAvoy had two assists for Boston, which controlled the tempo from the start, outshooting Vancouver 13-6 in the first period.
The Canucks, second in the Western Conference, lost in regulation for the first time since Jan. 14, when they were shut out at Winnipeg 4-0. Vancouver had surged since then, winning five straight before a 4-3 shootout loss at Carolina last Sunday.
Jacob Markstrom allowed four goals on 42 shots in Tuesday’s loss. Markstrom allowed an even-strength goal to Coyle in the first period, an even-strength goal to Marchand in the second, an even-strength marker to Krejci in the third and a power-play goal to Kuhlman late in the third to put a bow on the scoring. The All-Star slipped to 20-14-3 with a 2.74 goals-against average and .917 save percentage.
The Canucks have been heavily outplayed in second periods this season. They have been out-shot by their opposition by a count of 634-569 and out-scored by a count of 56-51. The Canucks’ worst goal differential situation comes from when they are on the road in the second period. They have scored 25 goals and allowed 30.
In the first three months of the season, the Canucks ranked fourth in the league with an efficiency rating of 26.4 percent. Since New Year’s, they’re fourth last just five power-play goals and a 10.9 percent success rate in 14 games.
Vancouver Canucks 2020 NHL Betting Trends and Stats
- The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Vancouver’s last 9 games.
- Vancouver are 14-5 SU in their last 19 games.
- The total has gone OVER in 8 of Vancouver’s last 11 games on the road.
- Vancouver are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against Minnesota.
- Vancouver are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games this season.
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Vancouver’s last 6 games against an opponent in the West conference.
Team Stats
Offense
- Goals: 3.28
- Shots: 3..15
- ThreePP/PK Percentage: 22.05
Defense
- Goals: 3.02
- Shots: 32.80
- ThreePP/PK Percentage: 18.39
Why Bet on Minnesota?
The Wild were 3-2 OT home winners over Chicago on Tuesday. Chicago was 0 for 3 on the power-play against a Wild team that ranked 30th in penalty kill in the NHL. Minnesota altered its lineup after losing 6-1 to Boston in its last game. Ryan Donato started in place of Victor Rask on the fourth line and D Brad Hunt was back in the lineup for Greg Pateryn.
Matt Dumba’s game-winning goal in overtime ended a 33-game goalless drought. He had just eight assists during that 33-game span without a goal along with 88 shots. Dumba currently has one goal and four helpers in the past five contests.
“I don’t know how to describe it,” Dumba said. “Obviously, it was good scoring in OT but it’d kind of been a long time coming. This feels good. I was trying not to think about it but now getting it, yeah, it felt awesome.”
Kevin Fiala scored an even-strength goal and a power-play goal Tuesday. Fiala opened the scoring early in the second period and added another late in the second to make it 2-0 heading to the room after 40. He is up to 11 goals and 30 points through 47 games, and he is on pace for 49 goals, which would set a new career best.
Alex Stalock allowed two goals on 29 shot, improving to 12-8-3 with a 2.88 goals-against average and .904 save percentage across his 26 appearances. Stalock started in place of Devan Dubynk and didn’t see a shot until 7:22 left in the first period. Six points out of the playoffs with 30 games to play, Wild coach Bruce Boudreau has his work cut out for him as he tries to pull the right strings to get his club to perform at a high level with greater consistency.
Minnesota Wild 2020 NHL Betting Trends and Stats
- Minnesota are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games.
- The total has gone OVER in 8 of Minnesota’s last 12 games against Vancouver.
- Minnesota are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games at home.
- Minnesota are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Vancouver.
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota’s last 6 games against an opponent in the West conference.
- The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Minnesota’s last 10 games against an opponent in the Pacific division.
Team Stats
Offense
- Goals: 3.08
- Shots: 29.48
- ThreePP/PK Percentage: 20.37
Defense
- Goals: 3.35
- Shots: 30.96
- ThreePP/PK Percentage: 25.97
Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction for Canucks vs Wild
Minnesota 4 – Vancouver 3
