Vancouver Canucks vs Minnesota Wild Prediction, 4/21/2022 NHL Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Vancouver Canucks vs Minnesota Wild

Date: Thursday, April 21, 2022

Location: Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, MN

TV: Bally Sports North

Odds/Point Spread: Canucks (+138) Wild (-163)

Xcel Energy Center is the site where the Minnesota Wild (48-21-7) will attempt to defeat the Vancouver Canucks (38-28-11) on Thursday. The moneyline on this contest has Vancouver at +138 and Minnesota is coming in at -163. The over/under is 7.

The Vancouver Canucks will look for better times on the ice after their 4-3 defeat against the Senators the last time they stepped on the ice. Vancouver amassed 10 penalty minutes in this contest. Moreover, they had 4 power play attempts and notched 1 goal. The Canucks had a middle of the road offensive output in the defeat. In the game, they tallied a score on 3 of the 37 shots they looked to score on.

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Vancouver Canucks opponents have tallied 213 power play opportunities (20th in pro hockey) and have racked up 56 goals in those chances. The Canucks have had 2,449 shots taken against them and have a save percentage of .913. Vancouver has tried 2,470 shots and holds a shooting percentage of 9.3%. While playing at even strength, the Canucks have conceded 157 goals while getting 174 themselves. Vancouver comes into tonight with 237 power play opportunities and they have notched 56 goals out of those attempts, garnering them a rate of 23.63%. For the current campaign, they have earned 87 points and their points percentage comes in at .565. In terms of their goal scoring prowess, the Vancouver Canucks have notched 230 goals (19th in the league) this year and have surrendered 213.

The player guarding the cage in this matchup is Thatcher Demko. Demko has participated in 134 games throughout his pro hockey career. He has a mark of 67-51-11 and he has gotten the start in 128 games. The opposition has scored 364 goals versus Demko in his career and his goals against rate is 2.80. Demko has had 4,210 shots taken against him and he has 3,846 total saves. His save percentage is .914 during his 7,795 mins in the crease. In his career, Demko has 75 quality starts and his quality starts rate is .586.

Their last time out, Minnesota faced the Canadiens in an outing where the Wild got the victory by a final score of 2-0. The Wild converted 2 goals out of the 30 shots on goal they took. They had 4 power play chances in this contest and recorded 1 goal out of those chances.

For the season, the Minnesota Wild have accumulated 278 goals, 103 points, as well as a points percentage of .678. They have allowed 231 goals to be scored by of a combination of 172 goals at even strength and 59 goals while they had less men on the ice. The Wild have racked up 232 goals at even strength and 46 goals (17th in hockey) while having a power play advantage. They have a total of 230 power play chances and they have a power play rate of 20.00%. Minnesota has attempted 2,467 shots (13th in professional hockey) and has accumulated a shooting percentage of 11.27%, while allowing the opposition 2,413 shots. They have accumulated a penalty kill percentage of 75.72% on their opponents 243 power play opportunities, and their save percentage comes in at 90.4%.

Across the ice you will find Marc-Andre Fleury defending the net. Teams are averaging 2.57 goals/game and he has yielded 2,316 goals overall. Fleury's percentage of quality starts is 55.2% and he has 430 quality starting assignments in his professional career. He has made the start in 779 games and has accumulated 54,148 minutes. Fleury has accumulated a lifetime mark of 517-298-87 and has been in net for 935 games. He has accounted for 24,306 saves out of the 26,622 shots tried, which gives him a rate of .913.

Who will win tonight's NHL game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh's Pick: Take Vancouver (+138)

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