The Minnesota Wild (16-12-5) visit the Chicago Blackhawks (12-15-6) at the United Center Sunday at 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the Wild-Blackhawks sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.
Wild at Blackhawks: Projected starting goalies
Kaapo Kahkonen vs. Robin Lehner
Kahkonen has been solid in four starts for the Wild. The 23-year-old Finn did allow five goals in his last game – a 6-5 home win vs. the Edmonton Oilers Thursday – but he sports a 2.70 goals against average and a .925 save percentage in 245 minutes overall.
Lehner is 6-6-4 with a 2.86 GAA and .926 SV% in 17 games. He owns a .931 SV% at home. He’s lost his last two starts, both to the Arizona Coyotes, allowing eight goals against 87 shots.
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Wild at Blackhawks: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 12:30 p.m. ET.
Prediction
Blackhawks 4, Wild 3
Moneyline (ML)
Both teams played Saturday. Lehner is backing a Chicago lineup down a couple defensemen and one that gives up too many shots. But the Wild have been on the downside of recent shot and Corsi exchanges as well. Minnesota is 0 for its last 18 on the power play and have allowed seven goals in 21 chances on the penalty kill since Dec. 1. The BLACKHAWKS (-110) are the play here.
New to sports betting? An $11 bet on Chicago to win in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of $10 … or in other words, every $1.10 wagered on the Blackhawks to win would return a profit of $1 in they do so.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
AVOID since the puck line for Minnesota (+1.5, -304) is full of juice, while Chicago (-1.5 +240) would need to win by at least two goals. Both teams have played a high frequency of one-goal games of late, and there’s more gray area than usual with a freshman netminder.
Betting on the Wild would involve every $3.04 wagered to profit just $1 if they win outright or don’t lose by 2 goals or more. Betting on the Blackhawks would profit $2.40 for every $1 wagered, but they must win by 2 goals or more.
Over/under (O/U)
There is also too much data and too many trends muddied to advise more than a slight lean on the OVER 5.5 (-121).
Minnesota and Chicago rank 15th and 26th, respectively, in goals and eighth and 11th in goals allowed.
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