The Minnesota Wild and Pittsburgh Penguins face off on Monday in an NHL showdown at PPG Paints Arena. Let’s look at the betting matchup and give a free Wild vs Penguins prediction.
Wild Coming off a Shootout Win
The Wild didn’t exactly look dominant against the Vancouver Canucks in the last game, but the defense stepped up, and they were able to win 2-1 in a shoutout. Filip Gustavsson started in goal and he stopped 35 of the 36 shots that he faced. The Wild on the season is averaging 2.96 goals while their defense is giving up 3.18 goals per game. The offense is ranked 22nd in the league while thei defense is ranked 17th. Mats Zuccarello has scored six goals and added 22 assists so far this season. The Wild are 11th in the West with 28 points, one less than the Calgary Flames.
How Do the Penguins Bounce Back?
The Penguins faced off against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the last game and it was an awful game. The Penguins scored zero goals while the defense gave up seven goals. The Penguins on the season are averaging 2.83 goals while their defense is giving up 2.76 goals per game. The defense is ranked 9th overall and all season the offense has been an issue. In this game the Penguins defense is going to need to step up or it could be a long game. Jake Guentzel has scored 13 goals and added 19 assists so far this season. The Penguins are 13th in the East with 29 points, one behind the Montreal Canadiens.
Wild vs Penguins Betting Prediction
This game is going to be lower scoring. The Wild’s offense struggled on Saturday and it’s going to be the case again here. The Penguins defense is ranked 9th overall and they are going to step up in a big way here. The Wild and the Penguins are both going to play some really good defense here and that is going to be the difference here as this game is going to stay under the total. Back the under to cash here.
AUTHOR: Shane Mickle
