Columbus Blue Jackets vs Minnesota Wild Prediction, 2/26/2023 NHL Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Columbus Blue Jackets vs Minnesota Wild

Date: Sunday, February 26, 2023

Location: Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, MN

TV: Bally Sports North

Odds/Point Spread: Blue Jackets (+205) Wild (-250)

The Columbus Blue Jackets (18-35-5) are hitting the road to Xcel Energy Center on Sunday where they will take on the Minnesota Wild (32-21-6). The odds on this game have Columbus at +205 and Minnesota is opening at -250. The betting total comes in at 7.

The Columbus Blue Jackets will look for better times on the ice after their 2-0 defeat against the Wild their last time out. Columbus compiled 2 mins in the box in this matchup. Moreover, they had 1 chance with the advantage but weren't able to convert it into a goal. The Blue Jackets didn't have their best offensive outing in the defeat. In the outing, they ended the night with no scores out of the 30 shots they tried.

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Columbus Blue Jackets opponents have amassed 177 power play opportunities (17th in the league) and have scored 40 goals in those attempts. The Blue Jackets so far have had 2,006 shots taken against them and hold a save percentage of .894. Columbus has taken 1,699 shots and has a shooting percentage of 8.5%. While at even strength, the Blue Jackets have conceded 173 goals while scoring 120 on the offensive side of the ice. Columbus steps onto the ice with 154 power play opportunities and they have notched 25 goals out of those tries, garnering them a rate of 16.23%. For the current campaign, they have 41 points and their points % is .353. In reference to their scoring capabilities, the Columbus Blue Jackets have accumulated 145 goals (31st in the league) so far this year and have conceded 213.

The man protecting the net in this game is Joonas Korpisalo. Korpisalo has been in goal for 209 matchups throughout his pro hockey career. He has compiled an overall mark of 86-78-24 and he started in 189 games. The opposition has racked up 584 goals against Korpisalo in his pro career and his average for goals against per game is 3.05. Korpisalo has had 6,032 shots against him and he has 5,448 total saves. His save percentage is at .903 in his 11,496 mins in the crease. During his career on the ice, Korpisalo has accounted for 91 quality starts and his quality starts percentage is .481.

Their last time out, Minnesota went up against the Maple Leafs in a game where the Wild were on the wrong end of the score by a score of 2-1. They had 1 power play chance in this contest but weren't able to finish one of them with a goal. The Wild scored 1 goal of the 25 shots on goal they tried.

The Wild have racked up 123 goals at even strength and 43 goals (10th in pro hockey) while on the power play. Minnesota has tried 1,831 shots (19th in hockey) and has a shooting percentage of 9.07%, while allowing their opponents 1,773 shots. On the year, the Minnesota Wild have notched a total of 166 goals, 70 points, as well as a points percentage of .593. They have permitted 161 goals to be scored by way of 127 goals at even strength and 34 goals while they had less men on the ice. They have a total of 184 power play opportunities and they have earned a power play rate of 23.37%. They have a penalty kill rate of 82.11% on the other teams 190 power play opportunities, and their save percentage is 90.9%.

On the other side of the ice you are going to see Filip Gustavsson protecting the goal. His opposition is averaging 2.61 goals per game and he has surrendered 134 goals altogether. Gustavsson's percentage of quality starts comes out to 66.7% and he has 32 quality starts in his career. He has started in 48 contests and has played 3,086 minutes. Gustavsson has accrued a lifetime mark of 25-21-6 and has played in 54 games. He has gathered 1,456 stops out of 1,590 shots attempted, which gives him a percentage of .916.

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

Guy's Pick: Take Minnesota (-250)

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