The Montreal Canadiens (31-17-7) and Minnesota Wild (32-14-10) meet in an NHL duel tonight. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. EST at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minn. 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 6.5 (-107o / -112u). The Wild are a -132 favorite to win outright, while the Canadiens are +110 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Canadiens vs. Wild predictions and NHL picks.
Canadiens vs. Wild Odds, Pick
| Canadiens Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -220 | 6.5 -107o / -112u | +110 |
| Wild Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +180 | 6.5 -107o / -112u | -132 |
- Canadiens vs. Wild Spread: Wild -1.5 (+180 ), Canadiens +1.5 (-220)
- Canadiens vs. Wild Over/Under: 6.5 (-107o / -112u)
- Canadiens vs. Wild Moneyline: Canadiens +110, Wild -132
Canadiens vs. Wild Preview
Montreal Canadiens
Montreal only has two more games to play before it sails off into the Olympic break, and regardless of how these two games go, it’s been an exceptional close to the first half of the season.
The Canadiens are currently riding a three-game win streak, which includes a blowout win to the league-best Avalanche by the score of 7-3, and a 4-2 win against the red-hot Sabres.
It’s certainly a spectacle to see that Montreal seems to be flying under the radar – especially when it has one of the best young cores in hockey featuring Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Ivan Demidov and Lane Hutson.
Right now, the Habs have done a great job at keeping a steady pace. Their 5-on-5 play on the offensive end has been solid, playing to a 51.25 xGF%, though their defensive play can be a bit better with a 2.9 xGA/60. Not only that, they have a seventh-best power play, scoring 24% of the time.
Defense hasn’t exactly been a strength of the Habs this season. While they have some tremendous puck movers on the blue line in Hutson and Noah Dobson, the structure is still straying away from them, which is why they’re only sitting at 77% on the penalty kill.
Goaltending has been a nightmare for this team all season, which is why the team axed goaltender coach Eric Raymond less than a week ago.
And since then, Jakub Dobes has performed at a high rate with a 4.7 GSAx in his last 10, though we haven’t seen Sam Montembeault just yet.
Minnesota Wild
The Wild had a slow, slow start to the new calendar year, but certainly made up for it to close out the month of January.
Minnesota capped it off with a beatdown in Edmonton, winning 7-3, as well as wins in six of its last eight games.
Its 5-on-5 play still hasn’t been kind, as the Wild are only playing to a mild 47.8 xGF%, but with a group that has Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, and Quinn Hughes, they’re a consistent threat to make noise.
Just look at their power play numbers – as they’re scoring at a 25% clip and have scored a power play goal in seven of their last eight games.
Defensively, they could probably still use some help, as they’re playing to a 3.09 xGA/60 in January, but the penalty kill hasn’t let up a goal in their past three games.
So, what about goaltending? Well, for the season, goaltending was a major strength for this squad, but in the previous 10 games, both Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt have underperformed.
In this stretch, Gustavsson’s .909 SV% looks good on paper, but his -0.7 GSAx suggests that he’s been getting beat on shots he should’ve had. Since Wallstedt had started on Saturday, I’d expect Gus to get the nod.
Canadiens vs. Wild Prediction
This is a battle between two powerhouses, and should make for excellent television. If only this were a nationally broadcast game…
With both of these squads riding high, it makes the stakes even more enticing. However, I’m going to be a contrarian and ride with the Habs here straight up.
I love what the Wild are doing this season, but I tend to lean more on the Habs when it comes to real momentum. Montreal relieving its goalie coach is a huge boost to the squad, and Dobes has been a beneficiary of it.
Even if Montembeault starts instead, I wonder if he gets in on the momentum. There was a reason why he was named to Team Canada in the 4 Nations last year.
Now, Minnesota may be deadly at home, but it’s been more vulnerable as of late, having lost four of its last seven in front of the home fans. The Habs, on the other hand, have either made it close or won outright. Not just that, they are one of the better road teams in the league.
I also don’t think it’s out of the question to bet on this going to overtime. We’ve seen a LOT of overtime games this season, and both teams have been culprits in playing free hockey.
Pick: Montreal Canadiens ML (+110) | 60 Minute Tie (+310)
