The Minnesota Wild (40-19-12) and Florida Panthers (34-32-3) meet in the NHL tonight. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. EDT at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
The Wild are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 5.5 (-134 / +110). The Wild are a -152 favorite to win outright, while the Panthers are +126 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Wild vs. Panthers predictions and NHL picks.
Wild vs. Panthers Odds, Pick
| Wild Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +164 | 5.5 -134o / 110u | -152 |
| Panthers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -205 | 5.5 -134o / 110u | +126 |
- Wild vs. Panthers Spread: Wild -1.5 (+164), Panthers +1.5 (-205)
- Wild vs. Panthers Over/Under: 5.5 (O -134 /U +110)
- Wild vs. Panthers Moneyline: Wild -152, Panthers +126
Wild vs. Panthers Preview
Minnesota Wild
There have been six or fewer total goals scored in 10 of the Minnesota Wild’s past 12 games, a trend that could continue Thursday. One of the biggest reasons for this stretch of low-scoring games has been the play of goaltender Filip Gustavsson, who is slated to start.
He has allowed two or fewer goals in six of his past nine starts. Gustavsson is 6-3 during that stretch with a .926 save percentage and a 2.02 goals-against average.
He has also performed well against Florida. Over the past five meetings, Gustavsson owns a .943 save percentage and a 1.95 goals-against average.
Florida Panthers
Across the ice, Sergei Bobrovsky is expected to start for Florida. His season has been inconsistent, though he has still delivered several strong performances.
The good news for Bobrovsky is his incredible track record against Minnesota. In 22 career meetings, he is 15-5-1 with a .918 save percentage and a 2.33 goals-against average.
He also benefits from solid defensive play. At 5-on-5, the Panthers rank in the top half of the league in expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGA/60).
Wild vs. Panthers Prediction
Florida limits high-danger scoring chances at even strength and is also effective on the penalty kill. This season, the Panthers rank eighth in penalty-kill percentage.
However, offensive production has been less consistent. Entering this matchup, Florida ranks 20th in goals scored per game, 19th in power play percentage and 26th in shooting percentage.
Pick: Under 6.5 (-122 at Kalshi | Play to -130)
