The Minnesota Wild (23-11-4) travel to face off against the Washington Capitals (25-10-2) on Thursday, January 2nd. This game will be played at Capital One Arena in Washington and televised on ESPN+. The Wild are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Capitals are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Hurricanes. Puck drop is set for 7:00 ET.

Wild vs Capitals

The Minnesota Wild Are Coming Off A Win

With a 2-1 overtime victory against the Maple Leafs, the Wild improved to 23-11-4. 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 the Leafs tied it up with just 52 seconds left in the first. Matt Boldy’s goal at 2:14 in overtime secured the win for Minnesota.

The Washington Capitals Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Following a 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes, the Capitals now stand at 25-10-2. The game’s total was set at 6 goals, and the combined score hit that number exactly, resulting in a push. Washington, as the underdog on the puck line, failed to cover.

Washington allowed the first goal but responded with two of their own in the first period. However, the Hurricanes scored three unanswered goals, including an empty-netter, to secure the win.

Minnesota Offense Breakdown

Ryan Hartman netted his third goal of the season, while Matt Boldy added his sixth, scoring 2:14 into overtime to lift the Wild to a 2-1 victory over Toronto. Jared Spurgeon contributed with two assists, bringing his season total to three.

The Wild fired 33 shots on goal but struggled with giveaways, tallying 15 in the game. After Hartman’s first-period goal, Minnesota was held scoreless until Boldy’s overtime winner.

Capitals Offense Breakdown

In their 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes, the Capitals scored both of their goals in the first period. Alex Ovechkin netted his 7th goal of the season on a power play, followed by Brandon Duhaime’s 2nd goal.

Washington managed 21 shots on goal but struggled with giveaways, totaling 15. The Capitals recorded three assists, with Dylan Strome picking up his 13th of the season on Ovechkin’s goal.

Minnesota Team Defense

Defensively, the Wild will look to carry over their performance from the last game, where they gave up just one goal to the Maple Leafs. Filip Gustavsson recorded 27 saves and posted a 96.4% save percentage. After allowing a late first-period goal, the defense shut down Toronto, not giving up another goal until 52 seconds into overtime.

Washington Team Defense

Defensively, the Capitals gave up the first goal just 5:59 into the first period and allowed three more after taking a 2-1 lead. The Hurricanes scored twice in the second period and added an empty-netter with 9 seconds left in the third. Charlie Lindgren made 41 saves with a 93.2% save percentage, but the defense struggled, giving up 44 shots on goal.

Wild vs Capitals Trends

• Across their last five road contests, Minnesota has been good against the puck line posting a mark of 3-2. Their overall mark in these games was 3-2, while averaging 2 goals per game.
• Across their last three home contests, Washington has been good against the puck line posting a mark of 3-0. Their overall mark in these games was 3-0, while averaging 3 goals per game.
• In their last five games as the betting underdog, the Capitals have a strong straight up record of 3-2. In addition, their puck line record was 3-2 in these scenarios.
• Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Wild have a straight up record of 8-2. But, their mark vs the puck line was just 3-7.

Wild vs Capitals Prediction

If you’re looking for a moneyline pick, my choice is the Capitals to take down the Wild at home. With the moneyline currently at -154, I’m placing my bet on the Capitals 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 Capitals victory, this game is expected to be closely fought, and the Wild should cover the puck line.

If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 5.5 goals, our prediction is that this game will exceed that mark, and we strongly advise placing a bet on the over.

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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.