Minnesota Wild - New Jersey Devils predictions and free betting tips [03/11/2023]

Minnesota is set to host New Jersey in the second face-off of the week as part of the NHL regular season.

Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild faced difficulties against New Jersey, leading to an away defeat. Currently, the Wild holds a record of 3 wins, 4 losses and 2 draws, ranking fourth in the Central Division and trailing the leading Avalanche by four points. This season, Minnesota averages 3.56 goals per game, landing them the 7th spot for the number of goals scored. However, they also concede many goals, ranking 32nd in the league for goals conceded per game at an average of 4.11. The team also has difficulty executing penalty shots, ranking 31st in the league in this metric, with successful execution in only 67.9% of power play situations. Against New Jersey, Minnesota had a lead in the beginning of the second period, but it slipped away following a quick attack by the Devils. It is expected that Filip Gustavsson will play for Minnesota in the next match, hoping to help the team return to winning ways.

New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils continue their successful path in the current season, securing a second consecutive and the fourth win in the last 5 games in Sunday's match played at their home arena. The Devils have improved their standings, their current record being 5 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw. They hold the third place in their division, falling 3 points behind the leading Rangers. This season, New Jersey has showcased impressive attack effectiveness, scoring an average of 4.13 goals per game, placing them second in the league in this metric. However, they also concede quite a number of goals, ranking 27th in the league among teams conceding an average of 3.63 goals per game.

The Devils also exhibit outstanding effectiveness in power play, executing 42.4% of their chances, and rank first in the league in this metric. They also successfully handle most of the situations when they play shorthanded, successfully defending in 75% of cases. In their last match against Minnesota, New Jersey opened the scoring in the first period thanks to Jesper Bratt's goal, and increased the lead in the second period due to a good power play performance. Although Minnesota managed to respond with goals, the Devils held the lead to win 4:3, and Vitek Vanecek made key saves for the team.

Head-to-head

On Sunday afternoon in New Jersey, there was a meeting between these two teams, resulting in a 4:3 victory for the Devils. Looking at their last 10 meetings, the 'Wild' hold the edge with the score of 7 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses. It is also important to note that the Devils' victory on Sunday ended Minnesota's five-match winning streak in confrontations between these teams.

Predictions for the match Minnesota Wild - New Jersey Devils

New Jersey is an explosive attacking team with a lot of talent, but Minnesota is not looking like easy pickings either. I'm expecting 1-2 points from Kaprizov and at least a win for the Wild in regulation time.