NHL Betting Preview |
The Anaheim Ducks invade the Xcel Energy Center this Tuesday night to face-off against the Minnesota Wild in a battle of two teams currently on the outside looking in when it comes to the Western Conference playoffs. The puck is set to drop in this one at 7:30 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast nationally on the NBC Sports Network.
Anaheim has showed some signs of life lately with a 6-2-2 record in its last 10 games, but it is still nine points out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the West with a total of 53 points. The Ducks are 22-24-9 overall and 7-11-7 on the road this season. They are -743 on the money line and 28-27 against the puck line.
Much of Anaheim’s problems this season revolve around a defense that is ranked 22nd in the league in goals allowed with a goals-against-average of 2.87. It is ranked 18th in scoring with a goals-per-game average of 2.58.
Minnesota has fallen all the way to 12th in the West with just three victories in its last 10 games. Its current winless streak reached four with a 3-1 loss to Columbus on Saturday as a 163 home favorite. The Wild have 58 points and an overall record of 25-22-8. They are 13-9-3 at home and have a 31-24 record against the puck line. Minnesota is still in the black on the money line at +319.
Keeping opponents out of their net has not been a major problem for the Wild with a goals-against-average of 2.51, but finding the net on offense has. Minnesota is ranked second-to-last in the NHL in scoring with an average of just 2.18 goals-per-game.
The Ducks are 12-5 in their last 17 games overall, but just 7-19 in their last 26 games on the road. The total has stayed ‘under’ in eight of their last 10 games overall.
The Wild are 3-7 in their last 10 home games and 6-20 in their last 26 games overall. The total has gone ‘over’ in seven of their last eight games at home.
Anaheim is 1-4 in the last five meetings and 1-5 in its last six trips to Minnesota, but did pull-out a 3-2 overtime victory as a 110 road favorite in late October. The Wild won the other two meetings this season as road underdogs.
Stick with the team showing the better form in this one as the Ducks grind-out another win on the road. The Pick: Anaheim 4 Minnesota 2
