Winnipeg Jets vs Minnesota Wild Prediction, 12/31/2023 NHL Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Winnipeg Jets vs Minnesota Wild

Date: Sunday, December 31, 2023

Location: Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, MN

TV: Bally Sports North

Xcel Energy Center is the site where the Minnesota Wild (16-13-4) will take on the Winnipeg Jets (20-9-4) on Sunday.

The Winnipeg Jets will need a bounce back game after taking a 2-1 loss against the Blackhawks their last time on the ice. The Jets could have played much better offensively in this defeat. In the outing, they tallied a score on 1 out of the 39 shots they put on net. Additionally, they had 4 attempts on the power play but weren't able to make the most of them. Winnipeg compiled 4 penalty mins in this outing.

When at even strength, the Jets have allowed the opponent to score 59 goals while having 92 of their own. Winnipeg Jets opponents have earned 98 power play tries (30th in hockey) and have earned 24 goals in those attempts. Regarding their scoring capabilities, the Winnipeg Jets have earned 110 goals (14th in the National Hockey League) over the course of the season and have given up 83. Winnipeg has attempted 1,032 shots and holds a shooting percentage of 10.7%. For the year, they have accumulated 44 points and their points percentage is .667. The Jets so far have had 945 shots tried against them and have a save percentage of .912. Winnipeg is sitting with 103 power play opportunities and they have scored 18 goals out of those attempts, garnering them a percentage of 17.48%.

The player protecting the goal in this game is Connor Hellebuyck. Opponents have been able to score 1,198 goals against Hellebuyck in his professional career and his goals against rate is 2.64. Hellebuyck has taken the ice for 470 games over the course of his hockey career. His save percentage is at .916 during his 27,196 mins in the crease. He has earned a win-loss record of 254-160-40 and was named the starter in 461 games. In his career, Hellebuyck has 267 quality starts and his quality starts percentage sits at .579. Hellebuyck has had 14,320 shot attempts taken against him and he has 13,122 saves.

When they took the ice last, Minnesota played the Red Wings in a game where the Wild ended up with the victory by a mark of 6-3. They had 2 power play chances in this one but weren't able to notch a goal. The Wild scored 6 goals of the 31 shots on goal they were seeking.

Minnesota has taken 998 shots (24th in the NHL) and has accumulated a shooting percentage of 10.32%, while allowing the other team 999 shots. They have a penalty kill percentage of 71.79% on their opponents 117 power play opportunities, and their save percentage sits at 89.6%. They have earned 112 opportunities on the power play and they have accumulated a power play rate of 17.86%. The Wild are sitting with 83 goals at even strength and 20 goals (22nd in the league) while on the power play. They have allowed 104 goals to be scored by way of 71 goals at even strength and 33 goals while they were shorthanded. On the season, the Minnesota Wild have tallied 103 goals, 36 points, in addition to a points percentage of .545.

On the other side of the ice you are likely to see Filip Gustavsson patrolling the crease. His opposition is averaging 2.60 goals per game and he has conceded 219 goals in total. Gustavsson's rate of quality starts comes out to 60.5% and he has 49 quality starting assignments in his career. He has made the start in 81 games and has accumulated 5,050 minutes. Gustavsson has a career record of 42-30-12 and has participated in 87 games. He has recorded 2,396 saves out of 2,615 shots taken against him, giving him a save % of .916.

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

Guy's Pick: Take Winnipeg

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