Florida Panthers vs Minnesota Wild Betting Picks

Minnesota needs this game. Florida, not so much. The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers realize that, realistically, they won't make the playoffs this season. So this is a huge step down in class for the Wild after they lost 6-3 at Tampa on Tuesday. Minnesota has the fifth-best defense in the NHL. The Panthers haven't been able to overcome multiple injuries this season. Their offensive numbers are down: 20th in goals per game, 19th in power-play percentage, and 26th in shooting percentage. They are also among the top three teams in penalty minutes. Brad Marchant remains out for Florida, and Sam Reinhart, the team's top scorer and points leader, is day-to-day with a foot injury. Not helping matters for the Panthers has been the inconsistent goaltending from the formerly reliable Sergei Bobrovsky. Discounting an impressive 4-0 victory against the Oilers, the Panthers are giving up an average of 4.7 goals a game in their last four games. Take the Wild. 

Minnesota has won three of four after its 4-3 overtime victory over Detroit on Thursday. Karill Kaprizov scored his second goal of the night 45 seconds into the extra session, and Filip Gustavsson had 31 saves for the Wild, who have won 12 of 15 against teams with winning records. The Wild have also won five of six against the Atlantic Division and eight of nine home games versus opponents with winning road records. Florida comes off a 2-1 win in a shootout over Winnipeg, but the Panthers have lost six of seven following a victory. Minnesota has gone OVER in 7 straight, and it is 4-0 OVER in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 days situation. Florida allows 3.26 goals per game this season. The Wild are 29-23 on the puck line. Gustavsson is 17-9-5 with a 2.57 goals-against average. Sergei Bobrovsky is 19-14-1 with a 3.09 GAA and an .874 save percentage for the Panthers. Take the Wild on the puckline and the OVER.

Florida has won seven of 10 and it comes off a huge 6-5 decision at Edmonton on Monday in a rematch of the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals. Carter Verhaeghe scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period and six different skaters scored for the Panthers, who won despite missing star forward Aleksander Barkov for the second straight game. Sergei Bobrovsky did just enough to improve to 14-6-1 and win his fourth start in five games for Florida. The Panthers are 22-5 their past 27 games as road favorites of -110 to -150 and Minnesota is 0-5 as a home underdog of +110 to +150. The Wild have lost three of five, including 3-2 to Vegas on Sunday. Don't expect a letdown by the Panthers as they were shut out their previous two games and need to keep it going on offense. Take the Panthers as my ML Game of the Month. 

Minnesota has gone UNDER three in a row as it has allowed only four goals in that span, including a 3-1 win over Columbus on Saturday when Filip Gustavsson stopped 23 shots for the Wild, who became the fifth NHL team to not trail in regulation through each of the first five games of the season. Gustavsson is 3-0-1 with a 1.99 goals-against average and a .950 save percentage. Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is 3-1-1 with a 2.94 GAA. Minnesota has stayed UNDER all three road games this season and the Wild are 6-0 UNDER dating to last season against Eastern Conference opponents. Take the UNDER.