Columbus vs. Minnesota: NHL Match Prediction

Current form

Columbus began the regular season with a series of away games and in the first of them met Minnesota, suffering a 2:3 defeat. The Blue Jackets faced problems with converting attacking moments, with only two shots out of 33 hitting the target. However, in the second away game against Colorado, Evason men were able to fully realize their attacking potential, winning a confident victory over the clear favorite (6:4). In particular, the first-line forwards deserve praise, each of whom scored three points.

Returning to their home arena, the Blue Jackets had to face the current Stanley Cup champions, Florida, losing to a serious opponent by one goal (3:4). Once again, goalie Merzlikin did not show his best, reflecting only 81% of the shots. They managed to rehabilitate themselves in front of the fans in the next match against a less serious opponent, Buffalo, winning again with six goals (6:4). In general, Columbus’s game is not stable so far, and in particular, it is worth noting the problem in defense, which remained from last season.

Disqualifications and injuries

Columbus also has serious problems with its roster. In particular, it is worth noting the loss of key forwards Dmitry Voronkov and Boone Jenner. Of the defensemen, Erik Gudbranson is missing. Another serious forward, Egor Chinakhov, is also in question, but he may still have time to recover for the upcoming match.

Interesting trends for betting

• On average, Columbus allows 3.75 goals per game.

As we have already noted, the "jackets" have serious problems in defense, which leads to a large number of missed goals.

• The Blue Jackets are getting 6.5 penalty minutes per game.

But the club has complete discipline; the team rarely breaks the rules, which is why it remains in full force for almost the entire match.

Current form

Overall, Minnesota approached the new season in optimal shape and is playing well, but this does not always help them achieve success. In the opening game, the team easily beat Columbus (3:2), mainly due to the excellent performance of goalie Gustavsson, who stopped 31 of 33 shots. Continuing to play at home, the Wild met with Seattle and were supposed to consolidate their success, but at the end of the third period they had to miss a puck, allowing their opponent to tie the score. It came down to a shootout, in which luck was on the side of the Krakens.

In the first away game of the regular championship, the "savages" were once again one step away from success, but they were unable to beat the strong goalie of "Winnipeg", losing in overtime with a final score of 1:2. Minnesota was able to return the lost points already on the road against "St. Louis", taking advantage of the competitor not-so-best form and winning confidently (4:1). Forward Kaprizov made a big contribution to the success, giving two important goal passes. By the way, Kirill is currently the best forward of the club, having six scoring actions to his credit.

Disqualifications and injuries

Minnesota has virtually no problems with its roster. Only defenseman Jared Spurgeon is in the infirmary, while Hartman and Johansson may still have time to recover in time for the upcoming match.

Interesting trends for betting

• The Wild are allowing an average of 2.5 goals per game.

The Wild themselves have problems with scoring, but their defense does its job to the fullest and rarely allows opponents to realize their attacking potential.

• Minnesota converted 30.8% of its power play attempts.

It also worth noting the Wild excellent power play, which allows them to consistently punish opponents for mistakes.