The Minnesota Wild (6-6-0) visit the Anaheim Ducks (6-7-3) Thursday for a 10 p.m. ET puck drop. Below we analyze the Wild-Ducks NHL odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
Wild at Ducks: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:56 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Wild -130 (bet $130 to win $100) | Ducks +110 (bet $100 to win $110)
- Against the spread/ATS: Wild -1.5 (+200) | Ducks +1.5 (-250)
- Over/Under: 5.5 (O: +105 | U: -125)
Wild at Ducks: Projected starting goalies
Kaapo Kahkonen (3-4-0, 2.90 GAA, .902 SV%) at John Gibson (5-5-3, 2.33 GAA, .921 SV%, 3 SO)
Kahkonen continues to do the heavy lifting while Cam Talbot makes his way through the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols. The No. 1 job hasn’t suited him, as he has dropped four of his past five outings with three or more goals allowed in four of the past five, too. He gave up three goals on 28 shots in a 4-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings Tuesday. He won his only previous start in Anaheim (Jan. 20) by stopping 22 of 24 shots in his first assignment of the season.
Gibson allowed three goals on 29 shots in a 3-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks Monday. He has been a little erratic lately, alternating good starts with bad. His first start against the Wild this season was a good showing, as he stopped all 34 shots he faced in a 1-0 win Jan. 18. It was the first of his three shutouts this season.
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Wild at Ducks: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Ducks 2, Wild 1
Money line (ML)
The DUCKS (+110) are a good value as short underdogs at home, although I’m never a fan siding with Joey Public, who is betting Anaheim at a 2-to-1 clip.
The Wild (-130) have won just twice in their past seven games; the Ducks are 2-5 in their past seven at home and 2-5 in their past seven as underdogs. So something’s gotta give.
Roll with the team with the hotter goaltender, and that’s Gibson and the Ducks.
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Against the spread (ATS)
The Ducks +1.5 (-250) will cost you two and a half times your potential return if you aren’t feeling Anaheim on home ice and you prefer insurance. It’s not for me. Just take Anaheim straight up.
AVOID.
Over/Under (O/U)
The UNDER 5.5 (-125) is a slam-dunk play in this one. Minnesota was blanked last time out and scored just one goal in its previous game at the Colorado Avalanche Feb. 2. The Wild are rusty after a two-week layoff due to a COVID-19 pause. Until they regain their confidence on offense, keep thumping the Under in Minnesota’s games.
The Wild are averaging just 2.50 goals per game to rank 24th in the NHL. Minnesota is also dead-last in the NHL on the power play at 6.67%, while ranking sixth on the penalty kill at 85.11 %.
Anaheim isn’t exactly a high-octane offensive attack, either. The Ducks are tied for last in goals per game at 1.94, and are 29th on the power play at 8.57%. They’re also fifth on the kill at 87.37%.
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