The Minnesota Wild currently hold the last wild-card spot in the Western Conference but just barely and thus need every point they can get. The Wild, though, are solid NHL odds underdogs Tuesday at Central Division rival the Nashville Predators.
How to Bet Wild vs Predators NHL Betting Lines & Game Info
“With the kind of the adversity we faced the last day here, I thought our effort was great and I thought Al played solid and it was a good night.” — Ryan Suter
📰 More from #NSHvsMIN: https://t.co/HU0rxfAu5p pic.twitter.com/ckaGVIdYYl — Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) 4 de marzo de 2019
- When: Tuesday, 8 PM ET
- Where: Bridgestone Arena
- TV: NBC Sports Network
- Live Stream: NBC Sports Live
- NHL Betting Lines: Nashville Predators -185 / Minnesota Wild +155 (Total 5.5)
Season Series
Predators lead 2-0. They played in Nashville on Oct. 15 and the Preds prevailed 4-2. Ryan Johansen and P.K. Subban each had two assists. Craig Smith, Mattias Ekholm, Filip Forsberg, and Miikka Salomaki scored for Nashville, and Pekka Rinne finished with 29 saves. Rinne preserved the win by denying Nino Niederreiter on a breakaway with 2:41 remaining. Mikko Koivu had a goal and an assist for the Wild, and Matt Dumba also scored. Alex Stalock finished with 24 saves. Stalock is 0-4-0 in his career against Nashville.
Why Bet on Minnesota?
The Wild have a five-game winning streak end Sunday in a 3-2 home shootout loss to these Predators. Jason Zucker and Eric Fehr each had a goal. It was an awkward last week for Zucker and the Wild after Minnesota reportedly had a deal to send him to the Calgary Flames just before the deadline, only for it to fall through. However, the 27-year-old winger appears to be unaffected, riding a five-game point streak. He now sits at 17 goals and 34 points in 65 games this season.Fehr blocked a shot in his own zone during the second period and scored on the ensuing rush down the ice. He didn’t have a point in his previous 18 appearances. Fehr has chipped in six goals, 11 points, and 40 blocks in 56 games this year.
Alex Stalock stopped 41 of 43 shots. It was a good effort by Stalock, especially in the second period when he stopped all 18 shots the Predators fired his way. Ryan Johansen beat him for the shootout winner, but Minnesota’s backup protested the goal and he might have a case with it looking like Johansen pushed his pad into the net. Stalock is 6-6-2 with a 2.98 goals-against-average and a .896 save percentage.
Zach Parise logged 20:01 of ice time in his return to the lineup on Sunday night from a foot injury. Parise was not able to play Saturday after he hurt his foot on a blocked shot Tuesday night against Winnipeg. Parise leads the Wild with 54 points (24-30=54) in 63 games this season. Last season, he tallied 24 points (15-9=24) in 42 contests.
Minnesota leads the NHL in goals scored (41), PPG (14) and percentage of goals scored (22.9%) by defensemen. Amongst NHL defenseman, Matt Dumba (despite not playing since Dec. 15) and Jared Spurgeon rank T-7th with 12 goals each and Ryan Suter ranks T-11th in assists and T-13th in scoring. Wild defensemen have totaled 132 of the team’s 488 points this season, ranking sixth amongst NHL teams at 27.0%. Suter leads the Wild in assists and multi-point games (12), T-2nd in PPP (13), fourth in scoring and fifth in blocked shots (89).
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 2.76
- Shots: 31.58
- PP/PK Percentage: 21.13
Defense
- Goals: 2.89
- Shots: 29.52
- PP/PK Percentage: 19.61
Why Bet on Nashville?
Ryan Johansen scored in the fourth round of the shootout to beat the Wild on Sunday. “A step in the right direction,” Johansen said. “Some more adversity today on the road and just finding a way to win. We’re going to build off that.”
Filip Forsberg had the tying goal with 4:19 remaining in regulation and backup goalie Juuse Saros won for the first time in four starts for the Predators. Forsberg had a great zone entry, before making his way to the net where he collected a rebound to tie things up. The 24-year-old Swedish winger is up to 22 goals and 41 points in 51 games this season.
Nick Bonino also scored in the win. Bonino opened the scoring at the 5:21 mark of the first period. He concluded the contest with three shots and one block in 15:55 of ice time. Bonino has produced 29 points 67 contest this season. Center Brian Boyle missed the game due to a lower-body injury.
Saros stopped 24 shots. The win breaks Saros’ three-game losing skid. His record improves to 15-8-2 with a 2.59 goals-against-average and a .916 save percentage. Likely to be Pekka Rinne here. He has dropped two of his last three outings. He has a 23-17-3 record with a 2.50 goals-against-average and a .914 save percentage this season.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 2.97
- Shots: 33.10
- PP/PK Percentage: 12.83
Defense
- Goals: 2.65
- Shots: 29.84
- PP/PK Percentage: 19.43
Wild vs Predators NHL Betting Trends
- Favorite is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings
- Home team is 8-1 in the last 9 meetings
- Under is 3-0-2 in the last 5 meetings in Nashville
- Minnesota is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
- Minnesota is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota’s last 5 games on the road
- Nashville is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games at home
- Nashville is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Nashville’s last 5 games at home
Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction for Wild vs Predators
Minnesota Wild 2 – Nashville Predators 3
