Carolina Hurricanes vs. Minnesota Wild Prediction, NHL Odds
Wednesday’s matchup between the Hurricanes and the Wild has the makings of a great game. Both teams are rolling and have already played in an entertaining matchup. Earlier this month, Carolina beat Minnesota 4-3 in a close game that could see a similar result in this one.
Carolina and Minnesota started the season in very different ways. But in their last 10 games, the results are fairly similar. Over their respective previous 10 games, the Hurricanes have 15 points and the Wild have 14. If these teams hold to recent trends, this will be another fun one to watch.
Carolina is a -165 favourite to win on the NHL odds, with the total set at 6.0.
Hurricanes vs. Wild NHL Betting Odds
The Wild have dominated the head-to-head matchup over the years. Minnesota has won six out of the last nine played against Carolina, as well as 11 out of the last 15 played against the Hurricanes at home in Minnesota. Obviously, that changed with the prior matchup. But the Wild would love to reinforce those historical trends on Wednesday.
Carolina has proven oddsmakers right often thus far, as they are 12-4-1 as the favourite. They are also a respectable 6-4 against the spread (ATS) on the road. Recent performances favour the Wild, though, as they are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games. Over that span, they are 5-3 ATS at home, most recently against impressive Vegas and Anaheim teams.
Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina is 13-5-1, and their 27 points are tied for the second-most in the NHL. In the past, the hallmark of a great Hurricanes team was shutting down the opposition and winning via goal prevention. This year, they are getting it done by way of even-strength scoring. They’re extremely balanced too, as 10 players have at least 10 points, and Sebastian Aho is leading the way with seven goals and 11 assists.
Because of this, the Hurricanes rank second in the NHL in goals scored per game. As dominant as they have been, Carolina somehow has the second-worst power play in hockey. This is not to say their goal prevention is lacklustre. It’s still good for 11th best in the NHL. But for all intents and purposes, Carolina’s ability to put the puck in the net has driven their success. If they can maintain their scoring touch, it will be tough for Minnesota to keep up.
Minnesota Wild
After a 3-6-3 October, the Wild have come alive. In November, this team is 6-1-1 with that sole regulation loss coming to the Hurricanes. The Wild will enjoy being at home for this game, where they are 6-3-3 on the season, including 5-1-2 in their last eight contests in front of their home fans. They’re led by Kirill Kaprizov (11 goals and 12 assists) and Matt Boldy (10 goals and 11 assists), and the duo has combined for 10 points over their last five games.
Minnesota has been the inverse of Carolina in that the Wild have had a very effective power play but weak goal scoring overall. The Wild rank 26th out of 32 NHL teams in goals scored per game. They enter this one having scored just seven goals in their last four games. They will need every bit of offence to keep up with the Hurricanes in this matchup.
NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Hurricanes vs. Wild?
It is tough to beat the same team twice in the NHL, especially less than two weeks apart. Minnesota is playing well enough right now to make them a difficult fade, even against a team like Carolina. This game is rightfully a nationally televised game featured on TNT and may be the best on the slate. Expect it to live up to the hype with a narrow 3-2 Wild win.
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