Two clubs facing each other for the fourth time this season, the Nashville Predators and the Minnesota Wild collide at the Xcel Energy Center in a divisional tilt. Fox Sports North Plus will air the matchup, and the opening face-off is at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 24.
Nashville Predators at Minnesota Wild Odds
Nashville is 48-25 straight up (SU) and has netted moneyline bettors 15.6 units this year. Through 73 regular season contests, 36 of its games have gone over the total, while another 36 have gone under and just one has pushed. This 2017-18 Predators team is 23-13 SU on the road.
Nashville has converted on 20.8 percent of its power play chances this season, a mark that’s right around league average. Its penalty kill is ranked eighth overall, and it has successfully killed off 82.4 percent of all penalties.
The Preds, as a collective unit, have been penalized 4.5 times per game overall this season, 4.8 per game over its last five contests total, and 4.4 per game over its last five on the road. The team’s had to defend opponent power plays 11.0 minutes per contest over their last five road games.
Sporting a .929 save percentage and 29.3 saves per game, Pekka Rinne (40-14-4) has been the top option in goal for Nashville this year. If head coach Peter Laviolette chooses to rest him, however, Nashville may turn to Juuse Saros (8-12-6), who has a .925 save percentage and 2.37 goals against average this year.
The visiting Predators will be led by Viktor Arvidsson and Filip Forsberg. Arvidsson has 56 points on 27 goals and 29 assists, and has recorded two or more points in 16 different games. Forsberg has 21 goals and 32 assists to his name (and has notched at least one point in 37 games).
Minnesota is 41-32 straight up (SU) and has earned 1.2 units for moneyline bettors this season. 38 of its outings have gone over the total, while 31 have gone under and just four have pushed. This season, the team’s 24-13 SU at home.
The Wild have converted on just 20.5 percent of their power play chances this season, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 20th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 79.4 percent of all opponent power plays.
Minnesota players have been sent to the penalty box 3.8 times per game in total this season, and 3.0 per game over their last ten outings. The team’s had to defend opponent power plays just 6.3 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Devan Dubnyk (27.2 saves per game) has been the top choice in goal for the Wild. Dubnyk has 32 wins, 21 losses, and six OT losses to his name and has recorded a .915 save percentage and 2.64 goals against average this season.
The Wild offense will be led by Eric Staal (39 goals, 32 assists).
Nashville Predators at Minnesota Wild Betting Predictions
Prediction: SU Winner – Wild, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Trends
Six of Nashville’s last ten games have been decided by two goals or more. The team is 5-1 in those games.
The Predators are 17-6 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 24-14 in games where they serve fewer than 10 total penalty minutes.
Minnesota is 3-2 in games decided by a shootout this season while Nashville is 5-6 in shootouts.
The under has hit in three of Nashville’s last five outings.
Minnesota skaters have averaged 6.4 giveaways over its last five home games, right in line with its season average of 6.2 giveaways per game (the 3rd-fewest in the league).
Nashville has averaged 3.8 giveaways over its last five home games, an improvement from its season average of 9.7 giveaways per game (ranked 17th overall).
*****
