The Minnesota Wild play the second and final game of a two-game road swing through the Metropolitan Division against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Thursday.
The Wild picked up a 2-1 overtime win against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night, and Minnesota now has points in 16 of the past 17 games.
The Flyers surprised the visiting Florida Panthers by a 6-3 score on Tuesday, and Philadelphia has picked up five out of a possible six available points in the past three games.
These teams met in the Twin Cities back on January 26, with the Wild picking up a 3-2 win in overtime.
Can the Wild stay hot, continuing their surge toward a possible Central Division title, or will the Flyers play spoiler to another playoff contender? We’ll discuss in our NHL betting picks for Wild vs. Flyers on Thursday, March 23.
Wild vs Flyers best odds
Wild vs Flyers picks and predictions
The Wild earned a big 2-1 win in overtime against the Devils, pulling into a tie for the Central Division lead with the Dallas Stars. Outside of a 5-2 loss on home ice against the Boston Bruins, Minnesota has picked up at least one point in 16 of the previous 17 outings.
The Wild have employed a goaltender rotation with Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury, and it has been working like a charm. For Thursday’s game, it’s Flower’s turn to shine.
Fleury has managed a 23-13-3 record, 2.83 GAA and .908 SV% with two shutouts on the season. He stopped 28 of the 30 shots he faced in the 3-2 OT win over the Fly Guys in St. Paul back on January 26.
Carter Hart is expected to get the nod for the home side, and he was the goalie of record in the first meeting, too. He turned aside 20 of the 23 shots he faced in that meeting, but it was Mats Zuccarello who bagged the game-winning goal in the extra session.
The Wild are red-hot, and playing for home-ice advantage in the Western Conference playoffs. This is where a dependable veteran like Fleury will help them, in a road game against a beatable opponent.
Hart has been too erratic for the Flyers, and he cannot be counted upon. While the Flyers certainly looked sharp cooling off a red-hot Panthers team, Philadelphia has been too inconsistent this season to expect it to beat a quality opponent for a second straight game, even if it’s on home ice.
My best bet: Wild moneyline (-150 BetMGM)
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Wild vs Flyers moneyline analysis
The Wild cashed on the puck line last time out as a road underdog against the Devils. It also cashed the last time it was a favorite in a 5-3 win over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
However, as a favorite, Minnesota is just 3-5 in the past eight games on the puck line, so consider that when deciding between betting the money line, and the more tempting and valuable puck line. The Wild have played seven one-goal games in the past 13 outings, too.
For money line bettors, the Wild have won six of the past seven games on the road, while going 7-2 in the past nine games against teams with a losing overall record. They’re also 4-1 in the past five games against Eastern Conference opponents, and 24-6 in the past 30 games against foes from the Metropolitan Division.
On the flip side, the Flyers have cobbled together just four wins in the past 14 games on home ice, while cashing in just one of the past seven games against Western Conference teams. Philly is also 1-4 in the past five against the Central Division, too.
As far as the puck line is concerned, as an underdog, Philadelphia has actually cashed in three straight as an underdog, although it is 4-6 in the past 10 on the puck line as a ‘dog.
The puck line play is too risky, but play a full unit on Minnesota on the money line.
Wild vs Flyers Over/Under analysis
The Over has cashed frequently for the Wild lately, going 6-1 in the past seven games overall, while hitting in four of the past five on the road.
The reason for the Over results has been the offense, as Minnesota has lit the lamp 30 times in the previous seven outings, or 4.29 goals per game (GPG).
For the Flyers, the Over has cashed in four straight games overall, and four consecutive games on home ice, too. But, it’s for a different reason, as Philly has coughed up 20 goals across the past five contests, or 4.0 GPG. While the offense has shined in the past three games, it still has just 30 total goals of offense in the past 12 games, or the same output as Minnesota has in the past seven.
The Over is worth playing lightly, and makes for a nice parlay opportunity with Minnesota on the money line.
Wild vs Flyers betting trend to know
The favorite has cashed in each of the past four meetings in this series. The Wild have been the favorite in each game during the span. Find more NHL betting trends for Wild vs Flyers.
Wild vs Flyers game info
| Location: | Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA |
| Date: | Thursday, March 23, 2023 |
| Puck drop: | 6:30 p.m. ET |
| TV: | ESPN |
