Two clubs facing each other for the first time this year, the Arizona Coyotes and the Minnesota Wild clash at the Xcel Energy Center in a Western Conference tilt. The first puck will drop at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 8, and you will be able to catch it live on Fox Sports Arizona.
Arizona Coyotes at Minnesota Wild Odds
Minnesota comes into the contest as the heavy favorite with a -235 moneyline. The line for Arizona sits at +195, and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. The line for betting the total stands at -125 under, +105 over.
Earning moneyline bettors 1.2 units, Minnesota is 29-24 straight up (SU) overall thus far. That early-season winning percentage is a regression from the 49-33 record that the team posted during last year’s regular season campaign. Through 53 regular season contests, 28 of its games have gone over the total, while 23 have gone under and just two have pushed. This year, the team’s 18-8 SU at home.
The Wild have connected on 21.6 percent of their power play opportunities this year, a mark that places them in the top-10 among NHL teams. On the other hand, their penalty kill is ranked 16th overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 80.6 percent of all penalties.
As a collective unit, the Wild have been penalized 4.1 times per game overall this season, and 2.6 per game over their last five contests at home. The team has had to kill penalties for just 5.9 minutes per game over their last 10 matchups, overall.
Averaging 27.2 saves per game with a .917 save percentage, Devan Dubnyk (22 wins, 14 losses, and three OT losses) has been the top option in goal for the Wild this year. If head coach Bruce Boudreau chooses to give him a breather, however, the team could roll with Alex Stalock (8-14-14 record, .914 save percentage, 2.77 goals against average).
The Wild will continue to look for offensive production out of Eric Staal and Mikael Granlund. Staal (48 points) has put up 23 goals and 25 assists and has recorded multiple points in 13 different games this year. Granlund has 15 goals and 28 assists to his name and has notched at least one point in 27 contests.
On the other bench, Arizona is 12-41 straight up (SU) and has lost 25.5 units for bettors taking the moneyline this year. Through 53 regular season outings, 29 of its games have gone under the total, while 23 have gone over and just one has pushed. The Coyotes are 6-22 SU as an away team this season.
The Coyotes have converted on just 16.1 percent of their power play chances this season, a mark that places them in the bottom-10 overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 20th overall and it’s successfully killed off 79.3 percent of all penalties.
Arizona’s players have been penalized only 3.1 times per game this season, 3.6 per game over their last five games total, and 2.8 per game over their last five on the road. The team has had to kill penalties just 6.4 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Antti Raanta (25.6 saves per game) has been the primary option in the net for Arizona. Raanta owns an 8-21-5 record, while registering a .916 save percentage and 2.62 goals against average this year.
Clayton Keller (14 goals, 22 assists) has been one of the top playmaking threats for the visiting Coyotes.
Arizona Coyotes at Minnesota Wild Free Picks
Free Pick: SU Winner – Wild, O/U – Over
Betting Trends
- The majority (65.5 percent) of Minnesota’s wins have come by two or more goals, and the team is 19-15 overall in such games. 4 of Arizona’s 12 wins (33.3 percent) have been decided by two or more goals.
- Arizona has averaged 2.3 goals per game overall this year, but has been averaging 1.3 goals per contest over its last four games (0-4 SU over that span).
- The Coyotes are 5-18 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 9-32 when they serve fewer than 10 total penalty minutes.
- Two of Arizona’s last ten games have ended in a shootout. The team is 0-2 in those games and 1-4 overall in shootouts this season.
- The total has gone over in four of Minnesota’s last five games.
- Minnesota is ranked 1st this season with just 5.8 giveaways per game. That figure has trended lower recently, however, as the team’s averaged 4.7 giveaways over its last 10 games and 4.8 giveaways over its last five.
- Arizona is ranked seventh this season with 7.5 giveaways per game. That figure has trended lower lately, however, as it’s averaged 4.9 giveaways over its last 10 games and 5.6 giveaways over its last five.
- Arizona skaters have given out the seventh-most hits in the league (24.4 per game).
