Wild vs. Canadiens NHL Odds, Prediction and Picks: Fowler Gets Spotlight on Price Night
The Montreal Canadiens have not lost in regulation in 10 games, heading into Tuesday’s battle with the Minnesota Wild.
Minny just had a three-game win streak snapped at home on Saturday night, as they now hit the road for a three-game trip.
Expect the Habs to have a bit of extra passion on the ice Tuesday, as the team is set to celebrate Carey Price’s Hall of Fame induction pre-game. Rookie goalie Jacob Fowler is being compared to a young Price; Tuesday could be a passing of the torch.
The NHL Odds have the Wild as a -130 favourite on the road, with the OVER/UNDER set at 6 goals. Puck drop is set for 7:00 pm EST at The Bell Centre.
Wild vs. Canadiens NHL Betting Odds
In their two meetings last year, each team took a 4-3 victory on home ice, hitting the OVER in both. For the Habs, Ivan Demidov and Lane Hutson both had a goal and two assists in the set, with Jakub Dobes starting both contests. Minnesota’s superstars carried the load offensively, with Kirill Kaprisov (2G, 2A) and Quinn Hughes (4A) having four points each.
Minnesota currently has the best defensive stats in the league, boasting a league-best 2.26 goals-against average. They have held opponents to two or fewer in seven of their last 10 games. They have hit the OVER only three times in the past 10 games and have only hit it six times so far this season.
The Canadiens’ offence has been buzzing lately, scoring 23 goals in their past five games, pushing them into the top 10 of league scoring at 3.47 goals per game. They hit the OVER in four of their past five games, putting their record at 11-6 on the season.
Minnesota Wild
Saturday night, the Wild blew a 3-1 lead in the third period, falling 4-3 in overtime at home versus the Tampa Bay Lightning. Blake Coleman (fifth) and Maxim Shabanov (seventh) both scored early in the first as the Wild jumped ahead 2-0 before the three-minute mark of the game. The Bolts had the lone goal in the second period, cutting the lead in half, but Shabanov would score his second of the game in the third to restore the two-goal lead. From there, Tampa took over, scoring three straight goals for the comeback win.
Despite the box score, the Wild did not have a great game, managing just 22 shots on goal. They came out hot and went out rather easily, combining for just seven shots in the third period and overtime combined.
With an assist each on Saturday, Kaprizov and Hughes both extended their point streaks to eight games. Kaprizov has collected five goals and 14 points, while Hughes has four goals and 13 points. Kaprizov is now third in the league with 31 points in 19 games, and Hughes is second amongst defencemen and seventh in the league with 26.
Montreal Canadiens
After a bit of a slow start to the season, the Canadiens are emerging as one of the best teams in the league, going 8-0-2 in their past 10. The Habs are now just two points out of first place in the Atlantic Division, after winning back-to-back.
Saturday night’s rivalry game versus the Toronto Maple Leafs was dominated by Montreal, taking a 4-2 win. Alex Newhook (fourth, fifth) scored a pair in the first period, and Chris Kreider (third) added one in the third, putting the Habs up 3-0. The Leafs would score twice in under a minute to get back within one, but a Zack Bolduc (sixth) power-play goal would seal the victory for Montreal.
Lane Hutson had an assist in the contest, extending his point streak to five games. He now leads the team in scoring with 17 points in as many games. Jacob Fowler picked up his eighth win of the season, stopping 26 of 28, improving to 8-1-1 on the year.
It will surely be a special night in Montreal on Tuesday as they recognize their best player of the past 20 years. Expect a heart and soul effort from the guys on the ice to honour Carey Price.
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