Utah Hockey Club vs Minnesota Wild Prediction, 12/20/2024 NHL Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Utah Hockey Club vs Minnesota Wild

Date: Friday, December 20, 2024

Location: Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, MN

TV: Fanduel Sports Network

Odds/Point Spread: Hockey Club (+150) Wild (-182)

The Utah Hockey Club (15-11-5) are traveling to Xcel Energy Center on Friday where they will compete against the Minnesota Wild (20-8-4). The moneyline on this contest has Utah at +150 while Minnesota is sitting at -182. The total is set at 6.5.

The Utah Hockey Club were on the right side of the scoreboard with a 3-2 win over the Canucks in their previous game. Utah earned 6 penalty minutes in this contest. They also had 3 power play chances and were able to notch 1 goal. The Hockey Club had a middle of the road offensive performance in the win. For the matchup, they were able to notch a goal on 3 out of the 31 shots they put on net.

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While at even strength, the Hockey Club have allowed 65 goals while getting 75 on the offensive side of the ice. Utah Hockey Club opponents have tallied 110 power play tries (5th in professional hockey) and have scored 24 goals in those chances. In regard to their scoring capabilities, the Utah Hockey Club have notched 94 goals (19th in pro hockey) on the year and have given up 89. Utah has attempted 847 shots and holds a shooting percentage of 11.1%. For the current campaign, they have 35 points and their points percentage sits at .565. The Hockey Club have had 873 shots taken against them and hold a save percentage of .898. Utah has tallied 88 power play chances and they have tallied 19 goals during those chances, garnering them a rate of 21.59%.

The player protecting the goal in this game is Karel Vejmelka. Vejmelka has been involved in 158 games throughout his hockey career. He has earned an overall mark of 51-82-13 and he was named the starter in 147 games. The opposition has notched 493 goals against Vejmelka in his professional career and his goals against average per contest is 3.79. Vejmelka has seen 4,911 shots taken against him and has gathered 4,418 total saves. His save percentage is at .900 for his 7,797 mins on the ice. Over the course of his time in hockey, Vejmelka has accumulated 68 quality starts and his rate for quality starts is .463.

In their last contest, Minnesota squared up with the Panthers in an outing where the Wild took the defeat by a mark of 6-1. They had 2 attempts on the power play in this matchup and earned 1 out of those opportunities. The Wild netted 1 goal out of the 27 shots on goal they tried.

The Wild have scored 82 goals at even strength and 16 goals (23rd in the NHL) while on the power play. Minnesota has taken 915 shots (19th in pro hockey) and has a shot percentage of 10.71%, while allowing the opposition 927 shots. Over the course of the season, the Minnesota Wild have earned a total of 98 goals, 44 points, and a points percentage of .688. They have permitted 84 goals to be scored by way of 61 goals at even strength and 23 goals while they had less men on the ice. They have recorded 81 power play opportunities and they have accumulated a power play percentage of 19.75%. They have accumulated a penalty kill rate of 70.13% on their opponents 77 power play chances, and their save percentage is currently 90.9%.

Across the ice you are likely to see Marc-Andre Fleury in net. His opposition is averaging 2.62 goals per game and he has given up 2,592 goals in total. Fleury's quality start rate sits at 55.1% and he has earned 481 quality starts in his professional career. He was named a starter in 873 contests and has accumulated 59,301 mins. Fleury is the owner of a career record of 567-332-97 and has participated in 1,035 games. He has racked up 26,824 stops out of 29,416 shots tried, giving him a rate of .912.

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

Josh's Pick: Take Minnesota (-182)

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