Wild vs. Flames prediction, odds, pick

The Minnesota Wild and Calgary Flames will meet in what could be a defensive battle. Both teams are in surprising positions in their respective divisions and doing it with some old-school, tight-checking systems. It’s getting to the point where teams can only solve their goaltenders with improbable goals, as we saw with Marc-Andre Fleury in the Wild’s recent win over the Edmonton Oilers. It’s time to continue our NHL odds series with a Wild-Flames prediction and pick.

The Wild are on fire in their climb to second place in the Central Division. They have won four of their past six games, which includes some massive victories over the Oilers and St. Louis Blues. The formula is simple for Minnesota to succeed, as their goaltending has been lights out this season. If the Wild can score more than one or two goals, Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury give them a chance to win every night. They’ll have a rough night when they don’t like their last two 2-1 losses against the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild.

The Flames are holding down second in the Central Division thanks to the play of Calder Trophy front-runner Dustin Wolf. Calgary thought they were heading for a rebuild, but Ryan Huska has the team playing a slick brand of defense and getting stellar performances from Wolf and Dan Vladar. The Flames have won four of their past five games while never scoring more than three goals. The Flames aren’t just beating bad teams, earning some convincing victories over the New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings over their past five.

Here are the Wild-Flames NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NHL Odds: Wild-Flames Odds

Minnesota Wild: -1.5 (+190)

Moneyline: -140

Calgary Flames: +1.5 (-230)

Moneyline: +120

Over: 5.5 (-120)

Under: 5.5 (+100)

How To Watch Wild vs. Flames

Time: 4 PM ET/1 PM PT

TV: Fanduel Sports Network, Sportsnet

Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)

Why the Wild Could Cover the Spread/Win

All the talk around this game will be about the goaltending, and rightfully so. However, the Wild have the numbers advantage in the net. Minnesota’s goaltenders have a combined 13-3-3 record with a 2.37 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. Gustavsson has taken the reins as the starter, owning a 2.07 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage.

Fleury’s numbers give us an accurate read on the Wild this season. He shouldn’t be putting up these numbers in his final year in the league with a body with many miles on it. It’s an indictment of Minnesota’s defensive system and abilities that Fleury is having such a good year.

Why the Flames Could Cover the Spread/Win

The Flames moved out Jacob Markstrom this offseason to make room for the former American Hockey League MVP. After spot starts over the past two seasons, Calgary wanted Wolf to get full-time work in tandem with Vladar. However, after 20 games, Wolf has fully controlled the starting role. He has an 8-2-1 record with a 2.33 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage.

Final Wild-Flames Prediction & Pick

The NHL is turning into a goalscorers league, making it all the more surprising when teams like the Wild and Flames succeed. Both teams lack elite goalscoring depth and are winning games thanks to sound defense and goaltending. With the direction of the league, it’s rare to see a total that lands at 5.5 goals, and when you do, it’s challenging to risk taking the under. However, this has the makings of a game that ends with a 2-1 or 3-2 score.

The oddsmakers are begging us to take the over at this number, but an afternoon game also has teams getting out to a sleepy start offensively. If Wolf and Gustavsson settle in for this game, it could be a long night for both offenses.

Final Wild-Flames Prediction & Pick: Under 5.5 (+100)