The Minnesota Wild (34-20-4) travel to face off against the Utah Hockey Club (26-24-9) on Thursday, February 27th. This game will be played at Delta Center in Salt Lake City and televised on ESPN+. The Wild are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Hockey Club are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Golden Knights. Puck drop is set for 9:00 ET.

Wild vs Hockey Club

The Minnesota Wild Are Coming Off A Win

With a 2-1 overtime victory against the Maple Leafs, the Wild improved to 34-20-4. Minnesota, favored by -1.5 goals, didn’t cover the puck line. The total for the game was set at 6 goals, but the teams combined for just 3.

Ryan Hartman scored first for the Wild at 9:41 in the opening period, but Toronto tied it up with just 52 seconds left in the first. Matt Boldy netted the game-winner at 2:14 in overtime.

The Utah Hockey Club Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Utah fell to 26-24-9 after a 4-3 loss to the Golden Knights. The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, and the combined 7 goals surpassed that mark. Utah, as the underdog on the puck line, failed to cover.

Utah led 2-0 before the Golden Knights scored four unanswered goals. Logan Cooley put Utah on the board first, scoring at 11:52 in the first period.

Minnesota Offense Breakdown

Ryan Hartman netted his third goal of the season, while Matt Boldy added his sixth in the Wild’s 2-1 overtime win against Toronto. Hartman opened the scoring at 9:41 in the first period, and Boldy secured the victory with a goal 2:14 into overtime. Both players recorded three shots on goal.

The Wild took 33 shots on goal but failed to convert on any of their power play opportunities. Jared Spurgeon contributed with two assists, bringing his season total to three. Minnesota had 15 giveaways in the game.

Hockey Club Offense Breakdown

Utah Hockey Club’s offense produced 3 goals in their 4-3 loss to the Golden Knights, with Alexander Kerfoot netting his second goal of the season at 13:10 in the third period. Ian Cole scored for the first time this season, while Logan Cooley added his second goal at 8:08 in the first period.

Cooley also picked up his 8th assist on Cole’s goal. Nick Bjugstad contributed two assists, bringing his season total to two. Utah managed 19 shots on goal but failed to score on the power play.

Minnesota Team Defense

Defensively, the Wild allowed a late first-period goal with 52 seconds remaining, but they kept the Maple Leafs off the board for the rest of the game. Filip Gustavsson made 27 saves, finishing with a 96.4% save percentage. The Wild’s defense also contributed 7 takeaways and 22 hits.

Utah Team Defense

Defensively, Utah will look to bounce back after allowing four goals to the Golden Knights, including the game-winner in overtime. Connor Ingram made 31 saves, finishing with a save percentage of 88.6%. Utah’s defense also contributed 8 takeaways and 21 hits.

Wild vs Hockey Club Trends

• The Wild are 3-2 puck line in their last road games and 3-2 straight-up.
• Through their last three home games, Utah has an puck line record of just 0-3. However, their overall record was 3-0 while averaging 2 goals per game.
• Going back to their last five games as the underdog, the Hockey Club have a straight up record of 1-4. But, their mark vs the puck line was just 1-4.
• Looking back on the team’s last five games as the favorite, the Wild have a straight up record of 2-3. Their record vs the puck line in these games was 2-3.

Wild vs Hockey Club Prediction

If you’re looking for a moneyline pick, my choice is the Hockey Club to take down the Wild at home. With the moneyline currently at -154, I’m placing my bet on the Hockey Club straight-up.

If you’re looking for a puck line bet, I’d suggest going with the Wild to cover. Even in the event of a Hockey Club victory, this game is expected to be closely fought, and the Wild should cover the puck line.

For those assessing the over/under line set at 5.5 goals, our expectation is that this game will stay below that mark, and we suggest making a bet on the under.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.