Two NHL powerhouses come face to face this Friday night in Minnesota as 1st in the Eastern Conference (Florida) take on 2nd in the Western Conference (Minnesota)
The Wild come into this home game on the back of 8 wins in their last 10 games and are currently on a 6 game winning streak on home ice. Here is all you need to know for your NHL picks.
Friday, February 18, 2022 – 08:00 PM EST at Xcel Energy Center
This Panthers team has been a sight to behold this season as they boast the number one offence and have scored the most goals in the NHL, although their road record is nowhere as strong as their home form, they still produce high scoring games, as 6 of their previous 10 road trips have witnessed over 7.5 goals scored.
Last time out, the Panthers beat Carolina 3-2 in a hard-fought overtime win against one of the top teams in their conference. The Panthers defence has been average this season and they are more than happy that they can concede 2/3 sometimes 4 goals and still come away with a win based on how strong their offence has been.
The main players for this Florida Panthers team have been none other than Jonathan Huberdeau who has scored 66 points this season, 49 of which are assists, the most of any player in the league.
This team has been flying under the radar for the majority of the season and now that they have the second-best record in the Western Conference over the previous 15 games. In the previous 10 NHL games, the Wild have allowed an expected goal of just 2.04, the best in the league.
People are starting to take notice of this team and they are without a doubt going to be a danger in the playoffs. Both teams are allowing around 2.7 goals per game, which is middle of the pack in terms of goals against per game. Average defences if you will. Minnesota probably does have a slightly better defence, but the same argument can be made for the Panthers offence.
VIDEO PICKS: Watch BMR's Free Expert Sports Betting Picks of the Day
*Trends should never be your main source of information when it comes to making your betting picks, they are merely guidelines and mostly irrelevant information but nonetheless can be interesting to read.
Florida Panthers
Minnesota Wild
Money Line: Minnesota has been priced up here as slight underdogs at +105 on home ice, the Panthers are priced up at -115.
Total: Tonight’s total has been set at 6.5 with the over being juiced up to -125 and the under coming in at odds of +113 with BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review).
Puck Line: The Panthers -1.5 have been set at NHL odds of +190, whilst the home team to cover the +1.5 PK line at as low as -250.
Incredibly 9 of the previous 10 games between these two teams has seen over 5.5 goals scored and a further 4 of those 10 has seen over 7.5 goals scored. Whilst the Panthers are averaging 4.1 goals per game, the highest amount in the NHL, Minnesota are averaging 3.8 goals per game, the 3rd most in the NHL.
We are in for another goal-fest here, we believe, and although the total line is set very high at 6.5 for odds of only -120, it's unlikely we don’t see at the very least six goals scored in this game, based on the way these two teams play and have approached each other in recent games.
The Panthers are a physical team, and they use that to their strength, but Minnesota are a team they won’t be able to bully off the ice and the Wild are physically just as strong as Florida. Minnesota has been beaten 5-4 by Florida twice this season, it’s the final game of the series and we see the Wilds home strength as a reason to bet them as underdogs at +100.
NHL Pick: Minnesota Wild ML (+105) at BetOnline
NHL Pick: Over 6.5 Goals (-120) at Everygame (visit our Everygame Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.