Wild vs. Senators NHL Odds, Picks, Predictions: Back Minnesota to Win in Regulation (February 22)
Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images. Pictured: Kaapo Kahkonen
- The Wild are heavy road favorites for Tuesday night's game against the Senators.
- Minnesota has its sights set on the postseason, while Ottawa continues to retool with eyes on the future.
- Continue reading for a full breakdown of this mtachup, including a betting pick.
Wild vs. Senators Odds
| Wild Odds | -215 |
| Senators Odds | +180 |
| Over/Under | 6 |
| Time | 7 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+ |
| Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
The Minnesota Wild are coming off of a huge win on the road in Edmonton on Sunday, defeating the Oilers 7-3.
The Ottawa Senators played a hard-fought 60 minutes against the New York Rangers on Sunday, but ultimately fell short losing 2-1.
How do these two teams match up on Tuesday night? Let's see if we can find some betting value.
The Minnesota Wild are Very Dangerous
The Minnesota Wild might not be able to win the Central division given the distance in the standings between them and the Colorado Avalanche, but when it comes to playoff time, they are not going to be an easy opponent.
They are 31-13-3 on the season and 3-2-0 in their last five games. One of the most impressive players on this roster has been the emergence of the rookie forward Matt Boldy. Boldy joined the team in January and has recorded eight goals and eight assists in 16 games. He has made an immediate impact and has built noticeable chemistry with his line-mate Kevin Fiala.
Boldy and Fiala aren't the only reasons the Wild have the third-best offense in the league and are averaging 3.81 goals per game on 32.3 shots on goal. Kirill Kaprizov is leading the charge, too, posting an incredible season with 23 goals and 39 assists in 46 games. He makes something happen every time he's out there and is a key player to focus on.
Minnesota has gotten very strong goaltending from Cam Talbot and Kaapo Kahkonen, both of whom have gotten their fair share of time in the blue paint. Kahkonen got the start in their last game against Edmonton and stopped 30 of the 33 shots he faced. A starter has not been named, but I think the Wild will go back with Kahkonen for this contest. He has a record of 12-3-2 and a .921 save percentage along with a very impressive +5.7 Goals Saved Above Expected.
Ottawa Senators Trying to Stay Competitive
The Ottawa Senators' playoff hopes have completely evaporated, but they still come into every game with a competitive mindset. This is a very young roster that has been rebuilding the past couple of seasons, but they have been able to beat some of the better teams in the league.
The Sens have lost their last two games, but both losses were by a one-goal deficit against very strong opponents, the Boston Bruins and the New York Rangers. In those two games, the Senators struggled to find offense as they scored a combined three goals.
This comes to no surprise as the Senators have not been the strongest offensive team this season. They currently rank 25th, averaging 2.63 goals per game, but they do an average job at generating offense as they are getting 10.94 high-danger chances per 60.
Filip Gustavsson should get the start in this one. He did everything he could on Sunday to help his team win, as he stopped 31 of 33 shots against the Rangers, but the offensive struggles held them back. Gustavsson is 10-8-2 on the season with a .916 save percentage and a -4.2 GSAx.
Wild vs. Senators Pick
Minnesota is looking to carry the momentum it gained in Edmonton into Ottawa tonight. The Sens are only allowed to have 50% capacity fans in the building so the home ice advantage is a non-factor.
Ottawa is 9-15-2 on home ice and the Wild, coincidentally enough, are 15-9-2 on the road. Minnesota is the better team in all facets of the game and should be able to win this one with ease in regulation.
Pick: Minnesota Wild to win in regulation -135
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