Minnesota Wild - Vancouver Canucks predictions and free betting tips [19/02/2024]

The Minnesota Wild will host the Vancouver Canucks in the upcoming NHL regular season match.

Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild is striving to improve its position, focusing on continuing its successful run in the upcoming games. Despite a recent overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres with a score of 3:2, the Wild have shown impressive results, winning four out of the last five games. The team, led by coach John Hynes, is determined to maintain its style of play that brought them significant success over the week. Goaltender Filip Gustavsson, performing in 32 games with an effectiveness rate of .897, is set to become a key player in the upcoming match against Vancouver, boasting previous successful appearances against this team.

Kirill Kaprizov, Minnesota's leading forward, continues to lead the team's offensive attack, tallying 51 points in 47 matches, while Joel Eriksson Ek contributes to the squad's offensive potential, scoring 25 goals and handing 20 assists in 54 games. Young defender Declan Chisholm, who netted his first NHL puck, seeks opportunities to progress his skills within the team setup.

On the flip side, the Wild face challenges in offense and defense, with an average goal factor of 2.98 per game, and a conceded average of 3.22.

Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks have delivered an outstanding performance throughout the season, demonstrating their prowess both at home and away. Despite a recent loss to the Winnipeg Jets with a 4:2 scoreline, the team maintains a leading position in the NHL with 80 points after the first 56 games, boasting the best goal difference (+59). Head coach Rick Tocchet remains confident in his charges, highlighting their 5-on-5 game prowess and the presence of a deep, caring squad.

Thatcher Demko, donning the key role between the pipes, stands out with a 30-10-1 record, displaying reliability with stats of 2.45 goals against average and a save percentage of 91.8. Against Vancouver, he has proven his effectiveness, boasting positive past encounters.

On the attack, Vancouver shines thanks to the excellent contributions from Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller, and Quinn Hughes, each averaging over a point per game, significantly contributing to the team's success. Their offence, netting an average of 3.66 goals per game, is backed by a deep lineup, including Conor Garland and Ilya Mikheyev, who are also making substantial contributions to the team's overall success. The Russian has 10 goals and 15 assists for 52 matches, while defender Nikita Zadorov recently scored his first goal for the club, boasting a goal and 4 assists in total.

The defensive lineup, bolstered by Hughes and Filip Hronek, concedes only an average of 2.57 goals per game, making the Canucks one of the most reliable teams in the league defensively. With each match, the Vancouver Canucks confirm their status as a serious contender for the top awards, demonstrating both individual players' skills and cohesive team play. Under Tocchet's leadership, with players such as Demko, Pettersson, and Miller, the Canucks are ready for any challenges that must be overcome en route to success in this season.

Head-to-Head

In the head-to-head meeting on December 16, 2023, Minnesota defeated Vancouver in shootouts with a 2:1 score. Earlier, on December 8, Vancouver claimed victory over Minnesota with a 2:0 scoreline. In March of the same year, the meeting's outcome also favored Minnesota, concluding with a score of 2:1. In the previous season, on December 11, 2022, Minnesota again overpowered Vancouver with a 2:1 score, while on October 21 Vancouver suffered a crushing defeat with a 0:3 scoreline. The match on October 21, 2022, ended with Minnesota's overtime victory with a 4:3 scoreline.

Match forecast for Minnesota Wild - Vancouver Canucks

Both teams are in excellent form with 4 wins in the 5 latest meetings, and throughout these encounters, defence has been on point, with only one game featuring over 7 goals from Minnesota and Vancouver. Considering the latest head-to-head meeting, which ended in shootouts following a 1:1 score, a logical bet would be on the total under.