The Utah Hockey Club (20-19-7) travel to face off against the Minnesota Wild (28-15-4) on Thursday, January 23rd. This game will be played at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul 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 8:00 ET.
Hockey Club vs Wild
The Utah Hockey Club Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
Utah fell to 20-19-7 after a 4-3 road loss to the Golden Knights. The game’s total of 7 goals surpassed the pre-game line of 6.5. Utah, as the underdog on the puck line, didn’t cover. They led 2-0 before Vegas scored four unanswered goals.
Three different players scored for Utah. Logan Cooley opened the scoring in the first period, and Ian Cole added another in the second. The Golden Knights tied it up with two goals in the second period, eventually taking the lead in the third. Alexander Kerfoot’s goal tied it at 3-3, but Vegas scored again to seal the win.
The Minnesota Wild Are Coming Off A Win
With a 2-1 overtime win against the Maple Leafs, the Wild improved to 28-15-4. Minnesota, favored by -1.5 goals, didn’t cover the puck line. The total was set at 6 goals, but the game’s 3 combined goals fell well under that mark.
Ryan Hartman scored first for the Wild at 9:41 in the opening period, but the Maple Leafs tied it with just 52 seconds left in the first. Matt Boldy netted the game-winner 2:14 into overtime.
Utah Offense Breakdown
Utah Hockey Club scored 3 times in their 4-3 loss to Vegas, with Alexander Kerfoot netting his second goal of the season at 13:10 in the third period. Ian Cole added his first goal of the year, while Logan Cooley opened the scoring for Utah, now with 2 goals this season.
Cooley also picked up his 8th assist on Cole’s goal. Nick Bjugstad contributed with his 1st and 2nd assists of the season. Utah took 19 shots on goal but came up empty on power plays.
Wild Offense Breakdown
Ryan Hartman opened the scoring for the Wild, netting his third goal of the season at 9:41 in the first period. Matt Boldy followed with his sixth goal, which came 2:14 into overtime to secure the win for Minnesota.
Jared Spurgeon picked up two assists, bringing his season total to three. The Wild fired 33 shots on goal but were held scoreless in the second and third periods.
Utah Team Defense
Utah’s defense gave up the first goal at 15:06 in the 2nd period, and they allowed another just before the period ended. They also gave up the first goal in the 3rd, and after tying the game at 3-3, they allowed the game-winner 2:15 into overtime. Connor Ingram made 31 saves with an 88.6% save percentage, while the defense recorded 8 takeaways and 21 hits.
Minnesota Team Defense
Defensively, the Wild will look to carry over their performance from their last game, where they allowed just 1 goal to the Maple Leafs. Filip Gustavsson made 27 saves with a 96.4% save percentage. The Wild’s defense also recorded 7 takeaways and 22 hits.
Hockey Club vs Wild Trends
- When looking at their past five road matchups, Utah has an puck line record of 3-2 while averaging 2 per game. The team went 2-3 overall in these games.
- In their last five games at home, the Wild have a straight up record of 2-3 while going 2-3 vs. the spread. The team averaged 3 goals per game in this stretch.
- Looking back on the team’s last three games as the underdog, the Wild have a straight up record of 1-2. Their record vs the puck line in these games was 1-2.
- Going back to their previous ten games as the favorite, Utah has an puck line mark of 2-8 while going 5-5 straight up.
Hockey Club vs Wild Prediction
For a moneyline bet, I’m backing the Wild to secure a victory over the Hockey Club at home. With the moneyline currently set at -153, I’m locking in my bet on the Wild straight-up.
For a puck line prediction, our preference is the Wild to secure a win and cover. Anticipate the Wild to win this one by multiple goals over the Hockey Club.
For those looking at the over/under line set at 6 goals, our expectation is that this game will surpass that mark, and we suggest making a bet on the over.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* 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.
Last updated:January 23, 2025 Utah Hockey Club, Wild