Minnesota Wild (11-12-4) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (13-12-3)
Minnesota Wild vs. Pittsburgh Penguins 12/18/23 – As the NHL regular season unfolds, Minnesota Wild and Pittsburgh Penguins will meet for an anticipated matchup at PPG Paints Arena on December 18th 2023. Both squads have seen ups and downs during this campaign; Wild have posted an 11-12-4 record while Penguins boast 13-12-3 mark; this showdown marks an important one as both squads seek to improve their standings and gain momentum while fans and bettors await its outcome; free daily hockey predictions providing insight into its outcome.
Minnesota Wild’s offense has been an impressive blend of consistency and brilliance this season thanks to their team leaders’ extraordinary performances. Mats Zuccarello stood out with 17 goals and 20 assists across 27 games; Kirill Kaprizov made significant contributions with 10 goals of his own while garnering 18 assists! Both will play key roles against Penguins’ offensive defense which has shown both resilience and difficulty; penalty kill units will play an essential part of this matchup!
Pittsburgh Penguins present Minnesota Wild with an immense challenge. Led by Jake Guentzel and Sidney Crosby – two offensive stars who combined for 30 goals and 33 assists last season – Pittsburgh poses an ever-present danger with their experience breaking down defenses; goaltender Filip Gustavsson must remain at his peak performance to withstand this onslaught from Pittsburgh.
Minnesota Wild vs. Pittsburgh Penguins 12/18/23 Game Info
| When: | Monday, December 18, 2023, at 7:00 PM ET |
| Where: | PPG Paints Arena |
| TV: | ESPN+ |
| Stream: | NHL.TV |
Goaltender Filip Gustavsson vs. Goaltender Tristan Jarry
Filip Gustavsson of the Minnesota Wild and Tristan Jarry of the Pittsburgh Penguins are key components in this NHL match-up, especially regarding goaltending duties. Gustavsson has proven both resilient and capable in 17 games played against an agile Penguins offense led by Crosby and Guentzel; Gustavsson could prove instrumental as an obstacle to their offensive efforts thanks to his superior record during road games which could help counter Tristan Jarry’s 22 save percentage against him.
Tristan Jarry of the Penguins provides both consistency and reliability on defense. Boasting an outstanding save percentage of 0.917 across 21 games played for Pittsburgh, Jarry has become a pivotal piece of their backend that often helps them come back from tight games with crucial saves that keep their lead alive. His experience and poise under pressure are invaluable when handling dynamic offensive threats from Minnesota such as Zuccarello and Kaprizov; furthermore his performance in shootout situations (albeit less frequent) have also been recognized; moreover his abilities to read both game action as well as anticipate shots make him an effective opponent when dealing with Wild offense.
NHL Odds/Point Spread: TBD, Total Odds: TBD
Betting odds for this match remain uncertain at this stage, which adds an air of unpredictability to betting predictions. Based on both teams’ current forms and standings, however, bettors should anticipate odds being relatively close in relation to recent performances and key player matchups when placing bets.
Minnesota Wild Betting Trends
The Wild have experienced mixed results lately, going 1-3 in their last five games but performing better against the spread in away games than at home. This shows their ability to cause upsets, particularly away games; moreover, recent totals going OVER may provide an indication that over/under bets should be considered more carefully than usual.
Pittsburgh Penguins Betting Trends
The Penguins, like their counterparts the Wild, have endured an uncharacteristically dismal run this season with just four wins out of their last five matches and against the spread. Their home record against the spread is also less than ideal but their tendency for totals at home to go OVER may serve as a useful signal for bettors who specialize in over/under betting markets.
Minnesota Wild vs. Pittsburgh Penguins 12/18/23 Betting Picks
From an analysis and form perspective, this matchup appears evenly balanced, with both teams showing vulnerabilities as well as strengths that could change the game in either of their favor. Goaltender matchup will likely prove crucial and special teams’ performance could swing the balance either way.
As previously stated, it remains challenging to predict an exact outcome; however, the Penguins appear to have an edge thanks to home advantage and slightly superior record. On the road however, Minnesota Wild have been known to cover spread bettors compared with their opponents; similarly considering players like Zuccarello or Crosby to score might be wise given their current form. Ultimately premium insights indicate this game could be closely contested affair that features high scoring.
Free Pick and Prediction: Pittsburgh Penguins 3, Minnesota Wild 2