Chicago Blackhawks vs Minnesota Wild Betting Pick & Prediction 12/23/24
The Blackhawks and Wild are set to face off at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. The Wild will host the game at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. The over/under for this matchup is currently set at 5.5 goals and the Wild are the -1.5 favorite to win at home vs. the Blackhawks.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS 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 Monday, December 23rd.
WHY BET THE MINNESOTA WILD:
- The Wild enter this game as 1.5-goal favorites and in our projections and we anticipate them winning by a score of 4-3.
- Take the Wild on the moneyline
- On the spread, we like Blackhawks (+1.5)
Are the Blackhawks Ready for a Road Win?
Chicago improved to 12-20-2 with a 4-2 road win over the Ducks. The Blackhawks covered the puck line as underdogs, and the total of 6 goals fell short of the 6.5 line.
Four different players scored for Chicago, who led 3-0 before the Ducks got on the board in the third period. Ryan Donato’s goal at 17:43 in the third put the game out of reach.
In their 4-2 win over the Ducks, the Blackhawks scored twice in the first period, with Isaak Phillips netting his first goal of the season and Teuvo Teravainen adding his fourth on a power play. Seth Jones followed with his second goal of the year, also on a power play in the second period. Ryan Donato closed out the scoring for Chicago, marking his seventh goal of the season.
Chicago took 29 shots on goal and recorded 12 giveaways. Connor Bedard contributed with three assists, bringing his season total to nine, while Taylor Hall added his fourth assist of the year.
Defensively, Arvid Söderblom turned in a strong performance, making 38 saves with a 95% save percentage. The Blackhawks’ defense also recorded 6 takeaways and 5 hits. They allowed two goals, both coming in the 3rd period, with the second occurring with just 4 seconds left in the game.
Can the Wild Live Up to the Hype at Home?
With a 2-1 overtime victory against the Maple Leafs, the Wild improved to 20-10-4. Minnesota was favored on the puck line, but they didn’t cover. The total was set at 6 goals, and the combined 3 goals fell well short of that mark.
Ryan Hartman opened the scoring for the Wild at 9:41 in the first period, but the Maple Leafs tied it up with just 52 seconds left in the period. Matt Boldy secured the win with a goal at 2:14 in overtime.
Ryan Hartman netted his third goal of the season, while Matt Boldy added his sixth in the Wild’s 2-1 overtime win against the Maple Leafs. Jared Spurgeon picked up two assists, bringing his season total to three.
The Wild fired 33 shots on goal and recorded 15 giveaways. They didn’t score on the power play or in a shootout, with their second goal coming 2:14 into overtime.
Defensively, the Wild will look to carry their momentum from their previous game, where they allowed just one goal to Toronto. Filip Gustavsson made 27 saves, posting a 96.4% save percentage. The Wild’s defense also recorded 7 takeaways and 22 hits. The only goal they allowed came on a Maple Leafs power play with 52 seconds left in the first period.