NHL Betting Pick: Vancouver Canucks at Minnesota Wild

Mar 28, 2008 | By Ben Chaisson | Picks Articles Archive

The Minnesota Wild look to distance themselves from the rest of the pack in the tightly grouped Northwest Division. Tonight they host the slumping Vancouver Canucks. The Wild have won four of the last five meetings against Vancouver. BetUS.com is offering the Wild as 175-moneyline favs over the Canucks who are listed as 3.15 underdogs. The over/under is posted at 5. Get your NHL Pick in at BetUS.com

GAME: Vancouver Canucks (38-29-1-9) at Minnesota Wild (41-28-2-7)
DATE/TIME: Friday, March 28 - 8:00 PM EST
LINE: Betus.com TOTAL: 5
PICK: Minnesota -175

Get your NHL Pick in at BetUS.com

The Wild got a big 3-1 home win over Edmonton to give them just four wins in ten games, but four of those losses they got a point out of. Branko Radivojevic, Sean Hill and Brian Rolston each had a goal for the Wild. The Wild have averaged 3.00 GAG in their last five and their power play has only one goal in three games. On defense they’ve their penalty kill has allowed only two goals in nine games or 33 kills. Goalie Niklas Backstrom has won three of his last five starts for a 3.00 GAA and he is 5-0-1 with a 2.09 GAA in his last six starts against the Canucks. The Wild have a one game lead over the Avs in the Northwest Standings and they’re in third place in the Western Playoff hunt, 17pts back from first place Detroit. The Wild are 22-11-5 on home ice.

The Canucks keep letting their playoff chances slip away. They’ve dropped three straight games all against teams in their own division. The lost the first two games of their three game road trip. They recently lost 3-6 to Colorado after going into the second period with a 2-1 lead. In the previous game against the Flames they had a 2-0 lead going into the third; well guess what they completely collapsed. They averaged 2.60 GAG in their last five and their power play has two goals in four games or 14 tries. On defense they’ve given up 2.60 GAG partly due to them taking too many stupid penalties. Their penalty kill has allowed a goal in three straight games. The game against the Flames they had drawn seven penalties, three of which were in the third period. Goalie Roberto Luongo has left the team to be with his wife for the birth of their child and is questionable for tonight. If he’s not backup Danny Sabourin will take over, he hasn’t won a game since Dec, 12, 2007 against the Ducks. The Canucks are 0-2 SU on their three game road trip and 18-17-5 overall on the road.

Recent Trends to Consider

Canucks are 1-4 in their last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
Canucks are 1-5 in their last 6 games as a road underdog.
Canucks are 1-5 in their last 6 vs. Northwest.
Wild are 7-2 in their last 9 games as a favorite
Over is 5-1-1 in Canucks last 7 games as an underdog
Over is 4-1-1 in Wild last 6 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.

The Bottom Line: The Canucks are taking too many stupid penalties, Luongo has been a sieve lately and they have no toughness or defense. The Wild have all of that and more toughness. Get your NHL Pick in at BetUS.com

Get your NHL Pick in at BetUS.com

NHL Betting Pick: Vancouver Canucks at Minnesota Wild

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