NHL Predictions: Kraken vs Wild - Wednesday Night Hockey Picks (Mar. 19)
The Minnesota Wild (38-25-5) face off against the Seattle Kraken (30-34-5) at Xcel Center, with Minnesota looking to secure their wild card position in the Western Conference. Puck drop is at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Hockey players celebrate goal celebration
Key Matchup Details:
- Minnesota holds a six-point lead over Vancouver for the first wild card spot
- Seattle trails by 10 points for the final playoff position
- Wild are 1.5-goal favorites at home
- The over has hit in the last four meetings between these teams
Recent Performance:
- Minnesota has played .500 hockey since Christmas
- Wild's defense ranks among NHL's best at even strength
- Seattle comes off a 6-2 win against Chicago in back-to-back games
- Kraken's Chandler Stevenson has points in six straight games
Notable Statistics:
- Wild rank 26th in NHL goals scored
- Minnesota's penalty kill ranks 30th
- Wild are 16-15-2 at home
- Matt Boldy and Marco Rossi lead Wild with 21 goals each
Best Betting Options:
- Pick: Minnesota -1.5 (BetMGM)
- Total: Over 5.5 (BetMGM)
- Best Moneyline: Seattle +150 (BetMGM), Minnesota -175 (DraftKings)
Minnesota has won five of the last seven meetings, with their most recent victory on March 4 (4-3). While both teams struggle offensively, the back-to-back schedule for Seattle and Minnesota's playoff push make the Wild the favorable pick to cover the spread.
That's 💯 goals in a Wild sweater for Zuccy!!!
The @SeattleKraken poured it on in the second period — scoring four goals en route to a 5-2 lead after two periods of play! 🦑