Wild vs. Avalanche Pick
Will the Minnesota Wild get it done on the road tonight when they battle the Colorado Avalanche at 9PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, the Wild are listed as a -130 favorite to win on the moneyline. The Avalanche are a +110 underdog, while the total is set at 5.5 goals.
Minnesota enters with a 22-16-2-1 record after a 6-2 home win Thursday over the Sabres. Colorado is 21-16-2-1 following a 2-0 home victory Thursday versus the Blue Jackets. The Wild won the season’s first meetnig at home by a count of 3-2 in a shootout on Nov. 24. Minnesota is 4-2 in six meetings since the start of last season and has won the last four..
The Wild were paced by Nino Niederreiter as he tallied a hat trick in the win against Buffalo. Mikko Koivu contributed a goal and two assists, while Charlie Coyle added a goal and an assist. Daniel Winnik also scored a goal. Mikael Granlund accounted for three assists. Devan Dubnyk recorded 29 saves on 31 shots to earn the win. Minnesota led a commanding 6-0 through two periods.
Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche in the victory over Columbus. Matt Nieto scored the other goal. Jonathan Bernier saved all 34 shots sent his way to notch the shutout win. Rantanen broke a scoreless tie in the second period, while Nieto added an insurance goal with 1:35 left in regulation.
Minnesota is 16-5 in the last 21 meetings overall and 6-2 in the last eight meetings in Colorado. The under is 5-2 in the last seven meetings in Colorado.
The Wild found their offense in bunches last game at home, led by the Niederreiter hat trick. Expect it to continue here against a Colorado team that is not good defensively even in the aftermath of its shutout win over Columbus. Chalk that one as a one-off. Minnesota should score enough to support Dubnyk, who has been steady in goal as of late.
NHL DAILY PREDICTION: MINNESOTA WILD -130