NHL Preview: Florida Panthers vs. Minnesota Wild – Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024
The Florida Panthers (19-11-2) and Minnesota Wild (20-7-4) will showcase their talents on Wednesday, December 18 at 9:30 PM ET at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Panthers are favored with a moneyline at -130.
Florida Panthers Betting Preview
The Panthers recently ended their two-game losing streak with a 6-5 performance over the Edmonton Oilers. Carter Verhaeghe nailed the tie breaking goal, which was the nail in the coffin between these two rivals from the Stanley Cup a year ago.
Sam Reinhart added one goal and an assist to keep the offense moving along. He currently leads the team in several categories, with 41 points, 20 goals, and 21 assists. Zach Hyman also stood out with his two goals.
The Oilers had a roaring comeback in the second period with three goals, but the Panthers bounced back in the third with three of their own to shift the momentum back. Both teams took similar shots at the goal, so no real advantage in that regard.
The Panthers are averaging 3.50 goals and are taking 30.7 shots per matchup. Their defense has been lacking in some games, as they are allowing 3.25 goals and 26.9 shots a game from opposing teams.
Minnesota Wild Betting Preview
The Wild have gone 3-2 over their last five games, with a recent 3-2 defeat against the Vegas Golden Knights. This game was tied heading into the third period, but the defense allowed one goal late to lose.
Kirill Kaprizov scored both of the goals for the Wild here. He is crucial to their offense, as he leads with 47 points, 22 goals, and 25 assists. His performances so far put him a step ahead of Reinhart, so this should be an entertaining matchup.
The Golden Knights were allowed to take 27 shots on the goal, while the Wild put up just 22. They will need to be more aggressive here if they want a shot at winning. Clearly more shot opportunities would be a good start.
On average, the Wild are getting 3.13 goals a game and are putting up 28.7 shots a game. Their defensive effort has held teams typically to 2.52 goals and 28.8 shot attempts per matchup. This is a slightly positive correlation, but their offense must improve.
Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick
MyBookie has the NHL bettings odds in the Florida Panthers vs. Minnesota Wild showdown. Current odds showcase the Panthers as slight favorites on the road.
These two teams have met once this year in October, when the Wild visited the Panthers and won 5-1. The Panthers are continuing an exhausting road stretch (fifth in a row), while the Wild are back at home for their fourth straight game. Look for the Wild to have the upper hand.
Final Pick: Minnesota Wild +110
