Penguins vs Wild Pick – NHL Predictions & Odds 4/6/23

The Minnesota Wild and Pittsburgh Penguins meet Thursday in NHL action at the PPG Paints Arena. Let’s preview this game and give out a pick and prediction.

The Minnesota Wild are averaging 2.9 goals per game and are scoring on 21.7 percent of their power play opportunities. Kirill Kaprizov leads Minnesota with 39 goals, Mats Zuccarello has 44 assists and Joel Eriksson Ek has 245 shots on goal. Defensively, the Minnesota Wild are allowing 2.6 goals per game and are killing 81.3 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Marc-Andre Fleury has given up 119 goals on 1,316 shots faced, and Filip Gustavsson has allowed 72 goals on 1,060 shots.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are averaging 3.2 goals per game and are scoring on 21.4 percent of their power play opportunities. Jake Guentzel leads Pittsburgh with 35 goals, Sidney Crosby has 57 assists, and Rickard Rakell has 230 shots on goal. Defensively, the Pittsburgh Penguins are allowing 3.2 goals per game and are killing 78.8 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Tristan Jarry has allowed 120 goals on 1,307 shots faced, and Casey DeSmith has given up 109 goals on 1,142 shots.

The Wild are 7-3 in their last 10 road games and 16-7 in their last 23 overall. The Penguins are 2-7 in their last 9 Thursday games and 4-1 in their last 5 vs. Western Conference. The over is 8-3 in Wild last 11 overall. The under is 7-3 in Penguins last 10 overall. The Wild are 2-6 in the last 8 meetings in Pittsburgh and 1-7 in the last 8 meetings. The road team is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.

The Pittsburgh Penguins should be favored because they’re at home, they’ve owned the Wild in past meetings, and they’re the more motivated side as they hope to stay in the playoff race. With that said, we’re getting plus money with the better team. Hard to turn down the more favorable price with the better team. Give me the Wild.