Wild vs Red Wings Prediction, Betting Odds, and Our Best Bet

The Minnesota Wild are sitting at 33-19-4 and will head to Detroit tonight to face the Red Wings who are 28-22-5. This matchup features 2 teams that are fairly hot and battling for playoff positioning.

The Wild are listed as slight underdogs, while the Red Wings are favored at -115 on the moneyline. The total for the game is set at 5.5 goals, with the over at EVEN and the under at -120. Just looking at the odds, this looks like a game that could go either way and will most likely be a defensive battle.

Both teams have been playing solid hockey prior to the 4 Nations Face-Off break, with Minnesota winning 5 of their last 7 games, including a dominant 6-0 shutout of Ottawa. Detroit, on the other hand, was running a 7 game win streak until they were beaten in their last game against the Lightning.

Can the Wild’s Defense Slow Down the Red Wings?

Minnesota has been slightly better defensively as they’re allowing 2.8 goals per game. Compared to Detroit’s 3.1 goals per game, they have a slight edge at the blue line.

Filip Gustavsson has been strong in the net for the Wild. He’s boasting a .915 save percentage and a 2.6 GAA which ranks him among the better goaltenders in the league.

Detroit’s goaltending has been a bit shakier throughout the season despite being hot as of late. Cam Talbot with his .904 SV% and 2.8 GAA and Alex Lyon and his .904 SV%, 2.68 GAA have been somewhat inconsistent, which could be a concern against Minnesota’s top scorers. As of this morning, we don’t know who will be in the net for the Red Wings but we suspect it’ll be Talbot.

Kirill Kaprizov with 52 points and Matthew Boldy with 48 points lead the way for the Wild and could take advantage of any mistakes or lapses in the Red Wings’ defense.

Detroit, however, has been heating up offensively. Lucas Raymond (59 points) and Alex DeBrincat (46 points) have been some of the bigger contributors, and the team has scored 28 goals in their last 10 games. While those 2 undoubtedly are the stars on the ice, the Red Wings have shown that they have some depth and everyone is getting some points on the board.

Their power play is also much stronger than Minnesota’s, converting at 27.3% of the time, compared to the Wild’s 18.9%. If this game comes down to special teams, the Red Wings could run away with it.

Prediction and Best Bet

This game is essentially a pick’em. Both teams were playing well before the 2-week break and if they pick up where they left off, this could make for a really good game.

However, Minnesota has the edge in goaltending and defense, which could be the difference in a tight matchup. The Red Wings have been scoring quite a bit, but the Wild’s defensive structure, led by Gustavsson, gives them a bit of an advantage for tonight’s game.

• HelloRookie’s Prediction: Red Wings 3, Wild 4
• Best Bet: Wild Moneyline (-105)

Minnesota has been the more consistent team and has already won 44% of their games as underdogs this season. That’s a good look for them. With Gustavsson in the net and Kaprizov leading the way, they should take care of business in Detroit despite being a close game.