Can Hurricanes Bounce Back Against Wild?

Quinn Allen
By , Updated on: Jan 18, 2023 07:00 PM
Can Hurricanes Bounce Back Against Wild?

The Carolina Hurricanes will play host to a familiar foe in the Minnesota Wild in a 7 PM ET puck drop matchup at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. This is just one of 13 games across the NHL on Thursday evening. The Canes are looking to bounce back here after surprisingly losing to the lowly Vancouver Canucks on Sunday in a shootout. At least they will be well-rested here. Minny meanwhile won their third straight Tuesday, taking down Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals by a score of 4-2 behind two goals from Jared Spurgeon. Keep reading for the Wild vs Hurricanes prediction.

Before we get into the odds and predictions for this game make sure to check out our online sportsbook reviews, and the top NHL betting sites.

Wild vs Hurricanes Odds

BetOnlinePuck LineMoneylineTotal
Minnesota Wild+1.5 (-180)+147Ov 6 (+118)
Carolina Hurricanes-1.5 (+160)-163Un 6 (-130)

The Hurricanes are the favorite here on the puck line and boast odds of -163. They're 8-3 in their last 11 games on the moneyline. The Wild sit at +147. The total is set at six, with the under being hit in three straight meetings.

Minnesota is not only enjoying a winning streak in general. The team is also unbeaten in three against the Canes.

Minnesota vs Carolina Preview

Watch out for the Wild, who are trending in the right direction. Minny is up to 25-14-4 which is good enough for sixth place in the always competitive Western Conference. During this current impressive run, they've scored nine goals and conceded just four, taking down the Islanders, Coyotes, and Caps. Their solid defense has stood out. The star of the show in front of goal has been Kirill Kaprizov, scoring 25 goals and supplying 27 assists for a total of 52 points. The winger is complemented by Mats Zuccarello, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Matt Boldy, who are all doing their part as well. The main man the other night though was Spurgeon. The defenceman put together a breathtaking performance to propel his team to victory. Blue liner Jonas Brodin and Eriksson Ek also added goals. Filip Gustavsson made 36 saves, keeping Ovi out of his net. The Russian did collect two assists, though. Minnesota is rolling at the moment and will be walking into Raleigh with their heads held high Thursday.

The Canes are currently sitting in second in the East, 10 points behind first-place Boston. The Devils and Maple Leafs are right on their heels however, therefore it's important Carolina keeps winning hockey games. They're not in great shape lately, going 5-3-2 in their last 10. The saying is defense wins championships and the Hurricanes definitely rely on just that, ranking seventh in fewest goals allowed and having allowed the fewest shots in the league. Offensively, there isn't any particular player who stands out. Instead, it's been a collective effort. Sebastian Aho, Martin Necas, and Andrei Svechnikov are all over 30 points apiece on the season, with Svechnikov's 19 goals a team-high. The attack came out firing against Vancouver on the weekend too, taking a 2-0 lead in the first. Surprisingly, the defense took their foot off the gas pedal, conceding once in the second and twice in the third, including a late equalizer from Brock Boeser to force OT and eventually a shootout. Elias Pettersson ultimately won it for the Nucks on the third attempt. Carolina tends to actually play better on the road, but there will definitely be a fire in their belly to respond on Thursday after such a disappointing showing.

Wild vs Hurricanes Prediction

I'm loving how the Wild are playing right now. They have tons of confidence and the track record against the Canes is brilliant. An underdog pick is worth it here. Take the Minnesota puck line as the visitors extend the win streak to four.

Minnesota Wild To cover puck line vs. Carolina Hurricanes
+1.5 (-180)
BetOnline

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Meet the author

Quinn Allen

Quinn Allen leverages his broadcast journalism degree and passion for sports in his betting previews and analysis. Based in Kelowna, Canada, he has emerged as an expert voice with picks featured on OSB, MTS, SBD, and as a ClutchPoints editor. With a lifelong fandom of...

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