Montreal Canadiens vs Minnesota Wild Betting Pick & Prediction 12/21/23

The Canadiens and Wild are set to face off at 8:00 ET on BSNX. The Wild will host the game at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. The over/under goal line for this matchup is currently at 6 goals, and the Wild are favored to win at home against the Canadiens.

MONTREAL CANADIENS VS MINNESOTA WILD BETTING PICK

The Pick: Minnesota Wild -1.5

This game will be played at Xcel Energy Center at 8:00 ET on Thursday, December 21st.

WHY BET THE MINNESOTA WILD:

• In spite of being 1.5 goal underdogs, we anticipate the Canadiens winning this one 4-3.
• We like the Canadiens on the moneyline (+167)
• The Canadiens are also our pick on the spread at +1.5

Taking a Look at the Canadiens Chances on the Road

For the season, the Canadiens currently hold an overall record of 14-13-4. On the road, Montreal has gone 7-4-2 and they are 7-9-2 at home. At the moment, they hold the 6th spot in the Eastern Atlantic division and are ranked 12th in the Eastern conference.

When it came to the puck line, Montreal heads in with a 19-12 record. On the road, their mark is 9-4 and their overall home performance is 10-8 vs. the puck line. On average, Montreal’s games have finished with 6.2 goals per game. The season’s average over/under line stands at 6.4. In total, the Canadiens come in with an over/under record of 14-16-1.

Across their last three road contests, Montreal has been good against the puck line posting a mark of 3-0. Their overall mark in these games was 3-0, while averaging 3 goals per game.

For their offensive performance, the Canadiens come in averaging 2.7 goals per game this season, which is 28th in the NHL. In the category of shots on goal per game, they are 24th in the league. In terms of the Canadiens’ offense during power plays, they are 19th in power play goals and 15th in shorthanded goals.

Montreal’s leading goal scorer is Sean Monahan. So far this season, he has 9 goals, placing him 98th in the NHL. Along with his scoring, he has come up with 10 assists so far.

Defensively, the Wild come into the season ranked 22nd in goals allowed. Opponents are averging 30.7 shots per game against Minnesota. For the season, they are ranked 16th in shutouts, coming in with 2 shutouts.

Heading into this matchup vs. Minnesota, goalie Sam Montembeault has started 13 games in this season. His current record is 7-4, and his save percentage stands at 0.6804123711340206%.

Does Minnesota Have What it Takes at Home?

This season, the Wild have put together an overall record of 13-13-4. When playing on the road, Minnesota has gone 6-9-2, while their home record stands at 7-4-2. They are currently positioned 7th in the Western Central division and 12th in the Western conference.

In terms of the puck line, Minnesota are 17-13. When playing on the road against the puck line, they are 11-6, while their overall home performance is 6-7. The average goal total for Minnesota’s games is sitting at 6.4. The average over/under line for the season is 6.3. The Wild come in with an over/under record of 15-13-2.

Minnesota has played well in their previous three home games, going 2-1 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 3 goals per game while allowing 2. The team also performed well vs the puck line at 3-0.

For their offensive performance, the Wild come in averaging 3 goals per game this season, which is 25th in the NHL. In the category of shots on goal per game, they are 26th in the league. Looking at how the Wild’s offense is performing during power plays, they are 23rd in power play goals and 23rd in shorthanded goals.

Minnesota’s current leading scorer is Joel Eriksson Ek. This season, he has 14 goals, which puts him 29th in the NHL. In addition to his goal scoring, Eriksson Ek has 8 assists this season.

Defensively, the Wild are currently 22nd in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 30.7 shots per game against Minnesota. They also are 16th in shutouts, coming in with 2 shutouts.

Entering the game, goalie Filip Gustavsson has started 19 games this season. His current record stands at 8-8, and his save percentage is 0.8247422680412371%.