Wild vs. Blues odds, line: 2022 NHL Winter Classic picks, prediction from model on 52-37 run
Written by ABC AUDIO ALL RIGHTS RESERVED on January 1, 2022
Hockey and cold weather have gone hand in hand since the game was invented, but Mother Nature has something special planned for the NHL’s outdoor extravaganza this weekend. The 2022 NHL Winter Classic is set to take place at Target Field on Saturday, and temperatures in Minneapolis are not expected to get above zero, with the high predicted to be -2 degrees and the low -13. As a result, ice conditions don’t figure to be an issue when the Minnesota Wild (19-9-2) host the Central Division-rival St. Louis Blues (18-9-5). The coldest NHL outdoor game to date was the 2003 Heritage Classic, where the temperature for the contest in Edmonton between the Oilers and Montreal Canadiens at gametime was -1 degrees.
Opening faceoff from Target Field in Minneapolis is set for 7 p.m. ET. Minnesota is the -115 favorite (risk $115 to win $100) in the latest Wild vs. Blues odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total goals scored is six. Before making any Blues vs. Wild picks, check out the NHL predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NHL game 10,000 times. It has crushed its top-rated NHL money-line picks this season, going 52-37, returning well over $700 on $100 bets. Anybody following it is way up.
Now, the model has set its sights on Wild vs. Blues. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the latest NHL odds from and trends for Blues vs. Wild:
- Wild vs. Blues money line: Wild -115, Blues -105
- Wild vs. Blues puck line: Wild -1.5 (+200)
- Wild vs. Blues over-under: 6 goals
- MIN: The Wild have scored at least four goals in nine of their last 11 games
- STL: The Blues have allowed fewer than three goals in five of their last seven contests
Featured Game | Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues
Why you should back the Wild
Minnesota is well-rested, as it hasn’t played since dropping a 7-4 decision at Dallas on Dec. 20. The team is hoping Kirill Kaprizov doesn’t cool off as a result of that lengthy layoff — and the frigid temperatures — as the 24-year-old enters Saturday with 36 points in 30 games this season. The Russian left wing has recorded half of that total over his last 11 contests, a stretch during which he has posted five multi-point performances.
The Wild are one of the top scoring teams in the NHL with 112 goals, and Ryan Hartman is team leader with 14 in 30 games. The 27-year-old right wing is five tallies away from tying the career high he set in 2016-17 with Chicago. Meanwhile, Marcus Foligno has matched his personal best with 13 goals and is one shy of 100 for his career.
Why you should back the Blues
St. Louis also has been among the best at scoring, as it is right behind the Wild with 110 goals. Vladimir Tarasenko tops the club with 13 tallies and is riding a four-game streak during which he has scored five times. The 30-year-old Russian right wing appears to be returning to the form that saw him record 33 or more goals for five straight seasons from 2014-19.
Brandon Saad is second on the team with 12 goals after ending his six-game drought in Wednesday’s 4-2 victory over Edmonton. The 29-year-old left wing has eclipsed the 20-goal mark five times, scoring a career-high 31 in 2015-16 for Columbus. Jordan Kyrou also tallied in the win against the Oilers, giving the Blues five players with double-digit goal totals.
How to make Blues vs. Wild picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning over on the total. It also says one side of the money line has all the value. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Wild vs. Blues? And which side of the money line has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Blues vs. Wild money line to jump on Saturday, all from the advanced model that has simulated this matchup 10,000 times.
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