The Florida Panthers aim to start a four-game road trip on a winning note, traveling to Minnesota to face the Wild. The Wild just snapped a losing streak and hope to build winning momentum as they are mired in a fight for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.
We’ll review the stats, trends, and odds before making our Panthers vs Wild betting predictions and NHL picks. The puck drop between the Panthers and Wild is scheduled for 8:00 pm ET from the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
You can catch this game on NHLPP | ESPN+, Bally Sports North, Bally Sports Wisconsin, and Bally Sports Florida.
Panthers vs. Wild Odds
Florida Panthers vs. Minnesota Wild Information
Florida Panthers vs Minnesota Wild
Location of the game: Xcel Energy Center. Saint Paul, MN.
Date: Monday, February 13. 8:00 PM ET.
How to watch: NHLPP | ESPN+
Florida Panthers vs. Minnesota Wild Performance And Stats
Florida Panthers Stats
You don’t have to check the Florida Panthers standings to know they’re in tough to make playoffs. Florida has a 26-23-6 record this season and is currently ranked fourth in the Atlantic Divison. However, as of publication, the three teams ahead of the Panthers in the Atlantic Division are three of the top five ranked teams in the NHL overall.
The Panthers had a three-game winning streak snapped, losing their last matchup on February 11th to the Colorado Avalanche 5-3. Florida is 5-5 in the last ten games and has a 9-1 over/under record in the last ten games. The total goals betting line in the only game not to hit the over set higher than normal at 7.0 goals.
The Panthers are ranked sixth, averaging 3.47 goals per game. Meanwhile, they are having the 12th-ranked powerplay in NHL stats, converting at 23.2%.
Defensively, the Panthers are giving up 3.44 goals per game and are ranked 23rd in the NHL stats. Also, they are having one of the league’s worst penalty-killing units, operating at 75.2%.
Driving Force Behind the Florida Panthers’ Success
Matthew Tkachuk is the present and future of the Florida Panthers. Tkachuk leads Florida in scoring with 73 points (27 goals, 46 assists), while Carter Verhaeghe leads Florida with 28 goals. Tkachuk has been on fire recently, scoring 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in the last five games.
Aleksander Barkov has missed time throughout the season with various injuries and is the only name on the Panthers’ NHL injury report expected back soon. Barkov is listed as day-to-day and could be in the lineup against the Wild tonight.
We expect Sergei Bobrovsky to get the start for the Panthers. Bobrovsky has started the last three games in a row, a 14-14-2 record, with a 3.13 GAA and a .902 SV%.
Barkov’s status and the Panthers’ incredible run of high-scoring games and hitting the over will be factored into our Panthers vs Wild betting prediction.
Minnesota Wild Stats
Looking at the recent Minnesota Wild game schedule, the Wild recently snapped a three-game losing streak by defeating the New Jersey Devils 3-2 in a shootout on February 11th.
Minnesota enters Monday night with a 28-20-4 record and is tied for third in the Central Divison NHL standings with the Colorado Avalanche. The Wild have lost six of the last ten games.
Minnesota has a 2-8-1 over/under record in the last ten games.
The Wild don’t really get the job done offensively. They are ranked 24th, and averaging 2.94 goals per game, but have the eighth-ranked powerplay, converting at 24.2%.
Defensively, Minnesota is giving up 2.89 goals per game. They are ranking the Wild 12th overall, while having the 16th-ranked penalty-killing unit, operating at 80.2%.
Kirill Kaprizov leads the Minnesota Wild in NHL player stats with 62 points (29 goals, 33 assists). However, Joel Eriksson Ek has been an offensive threat for the Wild recently, posing five points in the last five games.
We expect Marc-Andre Fleury to get the start against the Florida Panthers on Monday night. Fleury has a 16-12-3 record, a 2.98 GAA, and a .902 SV%.
Minnesota has been without top-four defenseman Jonas Brodin for some time, but he is expected back in the lineup any day and is currently listed as questionable for tonight’s game on the NHL injury report.
Florida Panthers vs. Minnesota Wild Betting Trends
- The over is 4-0 in the last four head-to-head meetings overall and 4-1 in the last five games in Minnesota.
- The Florida Panthers are 4-0 in the last four matchups with the Minnesota Wild
- The under is 4-0 in the Wild’s last five games against the Eastern Conference.
- The favorite is 11-4 in the last 15 games.
- The over is 4-0 in Florida’s last four road games and 7-0 against a team with a winning record.
Florida Panthers vs. Minnesota Wild Predictions and Picks
Before we make our Panthers vs Wild betting predictions, we need to know where the NHL odds and each teams betting records so far this season.
First, this is the second and final head-to-head matchup this season between Minnesota and Florida, with the Panthers winning the first tilt 5-3 on January 21st, 2023.
The Minnesota Wild are the slight moneyline underdog on the NHL schedule today, with odds ranging from -110 to -120. The Florida Panthers are listed from +100 to -105.
The Panthers are listed at +1.5 on the puck line spread, with odds between -240 and -300, while the Wild are listed at -1.5, with odds from +195 to +215. Florida has a 22-33 ats record, while Minnesota has a 21-31 ats record.
The total goals line is set to 6.5 goals, which is the standard total goals betting line for most NHL matchups. The over is listed from -114 to -120, while the under is listed from +100 to -105. The Wild have a 22-28-2 over/under record, while the Panthers have a 31-20-4 over/under record.
Balancing Defense and Offense
While Minnesota has the better defensive stats, the run of offense the Panthers is on over the last five games (4.2 goals per game) has us considering taking the over in this game, despite wanting to take the Wild and the under. However, we’ll be relying on the Panthers to do the bulk of the scoring, as the Wild have only scored more than three goals once in the last ten games.
We’re taking the over. That should be a spoiler for the rest of our Panthers vs Wild betting prediction.
Minnesota is the favorite at home with a 16-9-1 record, while Florida has an 11-15-3 record outside the Sunshine state. We’re bucking the betting trends and home/away records and taking the Florida Panthers to win on the moneyline and cover the +1.5 goal spread in the process.
Minnesota might be the better defensive team, but we’re siding with recent form and offense in this one. We think Florida is going to win this one 4-3 and potentially 5-3 with an empty net goal.
Conclusion
Our NHL picks today are to take the Florida Panthers on the moneyline, the Panthers +1.5, and the over.
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