With the midway point of the NHL season now passed and the All-Star Game just around the corner, it’s time to get serious about the playoff races in both conferences. Yes, there is still a lot of hockey to be played before the top 8 teams in each conference go head to head in pursuit of the Stanley Cup, but we now have a very clear picture of which teams will punch their playoff ticket early and which will be battling it out all the way down to the wire.
As it stands right now, there is absolutely no guarantee that the Anaheim Ducks or the Minnesota Wild will be part of the playoffs in the Western Conference, as neither one is on a particularly stable footing at the moment. The Wild are in the final Wild Card spot in the conference, albeit by the very skin of their teeth, while the Ducks are below the playoff line and sinking like a stone. This is a crucial game for both teams, but it is the Wild who are in as the home ice favorites, with the goal total set at 5 ½.
Ducks vs Wild NHL Week 16 Odds & Game Preview
Welcome back, Derek Grant!
We’ve re-acquired the center from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for forward Joseph Blandisi. 📰➡ https://t.co/mg9Q2jw7SN pic.twitter.com/y8us95IqFV — Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) 17 de enero de 2019
- When: Thursday, January 17, 8 PM EST
- Where: Xcel Energy Center, Minneapolis
- TV: NHL Center Ice
- Radio: TuneIn
- Live Stream: NHL.tv
- NHL Week 16 Odds: Wild -1.5 (Total 5.5)
Jets at Predators NHL Betting Lines & Pick for Thursday Night
Why bet on the Anaheim Ducks?
The Anaheim Ducks are on an absolutely disastrous run of form, as they are coming into this game on a truly awful 12-game losing skid. Despite that run, this is a team that is still just 2 points off the pace in the race for the Wild Card, which is, even at this relatively early stage, their only clear path into the playoffs. The Ducks are 13 points off the top 3 in the Pacific Division and given the form of the teams currently occupying those spots, breaking into that group seems like a longshot at best.
The Ducks biggest problem is one that has plagued them for a few seasons now, which is that they cannot score goals. They have just 113 goals in 47 games, which has them way down in the offensive ranks. The Ducks are just 9-12-1 on the road this season and have already lost to the Wild.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 2.40
- Shots: 27.96
- PP/PK Percentage: 14.62
Defense
- Goals: 3.04
- Shots: 34.30
- PP/PK Percentage: 20.00
Why bet on the Minnesota Wild?
Unlike their opponents tonight, the Wild have a very clear path to the top 3 in the Central Division, as they are just a single point behind the Dallas Stars in the #3 spot. While not exactly setting the world on fire right now, the Wild have picked up 6 wins in their last 10 games.
Their best work this season has come on home ice, where they are 12-8-3, which includes an emphatic 5-1 win over the Ducks earlier this season. The Wild are another team that is not exactly known for their offensive output, but with 131 goals this season, they are a good deal healthier on that end of the ice than Anaheim are.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 2.85
- Shots: 31.43
- PP/PK Percentage: 21.97
Defense
- Goals: 2.91
- Shots: 29.65
- PP/PK Percentage: 15.33
Maple Leafs vs Lightning NHL Week 16 Odds & Game Info
Ducks vs Wild NHL Week 16 Betting Trends
- Anaheim is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
- Anaheim is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Anaheim’s last 7 games
- Minnesota is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games at home
- Minnesota is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home
- The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Minnesota’s last 8 games at home
Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction for Ducks vs Wild
This poor run of form from the Anaheim Ducks is going to come to an end at some point, but I think they are going to stay in there at least one game longer, as I like the Minnesota Wild to come away with a comfortable win on home ice.
Score: Anaheim Ducks 1 – Minnesota Wild 4
