Anaheim Ducks vs Minnesota Wild Picks and Predictions November 8th 2024

Anaheim Ducks vs Minnesota Wild November 8th 2024

The Wild and Ducks are set to face off at 10:00 ET on ESPN+. The Ducks will host the game at Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. The Wild are favored by -1.5 in a Western conference showdown. The game’s over/under is currently at 6 goals.

Minnesota vs. Anaheim Key Information

With a 2-1 overtime win against the Maple Leafs, the Wild improved to 9-2-2. Minnesota was favored on the puck line, but didn’t cover. The total was set at 6 goals, and the combined 3 goals fell short of that mark.

Ryan Hartman scored first for the Wild at 9:41 in the first period, but the Maple Leafs tied it up with just 52 seconds left in the period. Matt Boldy secured the win with a goal at 2:14 in overtime.

Ryan Hartman netted his third goal of the season at 9:41 in the first period, while Matt Boldy added his sixth in overtime to secure a 2-1 victory for the Wild. Jared Spurgeon picked up two assists, bringing his season total to three.

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The Wild fired 33 shots on goal but were held scoreless in the second and third periods. They had 15 giveaways and failed to convert on any power play opportunities.

Defensively, the Wild gave up a late first-period goal to the Maple Leafs, but they shut things down after that, not allowing another goal through the second, third, and overtime periods. Filip Gustavsson made 27 saves with a 96.4% save percentage, and the Wild’s defense added 7 takeaways and 22 hits.

The Ducks fell to 4-6-2 after a 4-2 loss to the Blackhawks. Anaheim, favored by -1.5 goals, failed to cover the puck line. The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 6 fell just short.

Anaheim’s defense struggled early, allowing two goals in the first period. The Ducks didn’t score until the third period, when they were already down 3-0.

Anaheim took 39 shots on goal in their 4-2 loss to Chicago, with Brock McGinn scoring his second goal of the season and Mason McTavish adding his second, which came on a power play with just four seconds left in the game. Ross Johnston picked up his first assist of the season, while Troy Terry and Ryan Strome recorded their 5th and 4th assists, respectively.

The Ducks were held scoreless until McGinn’s goal at 9:44 in the third period. Anaheim had 16 giveaways in the game.

Defensively, the Ducks gave up the first three goals, including two on the power play, and a late goal with 2:17 left in the 3rd period. Lukas Dostal made 25 saves with an 86.2% save percentage. Anaheim’s defense also recorded 6 takeaways and 15 hits.

For a moneyline bet, I’m backing the Ducks to secure a victory over the Wild at home. With the moneyline currently set at +154, I’m locking in my bet on the Ducks straight-up.

If you’re looking to get a bet down on this matchup, we foresee the Ducks winning the underdog. However, if you’re not as confident in the Ducks straight-up, we’d still recommend placing a bet on them to cover the puck line.

When considering the over/under line, which is currently at 6 goals, we believe that this game will go over that threshold, and we recommend wagering on the over.

Wild Eye Road Success, Ducks Seek to Halt Slide

The Minnesota Wild aim to build on their reputation as one of the NHL’s best road teams when they visit the struggling Anaheim Ducks on Friday night. With a stellar 6-1-1 record away from home, the Wild will look to extend their road dominance while the Ducks try to snap out of a recent funk.

Wild Thriving on the Road

Minnesota’s success on the road has been a key factor in their strong start this season. The Wild currently lead the NHL with 13 road points, and they continued that trend on Thursday with a 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks to kick off their current three-game trip.

Coach John Hynes emphasized the importance of a strong road mentality for a successful season.

“If you want to be a competitive team, you can’t just be a good home team,” Hynes said. “You’ve got to have that road warrior mentality.”

Star forward Kirill Kaprizov was a standout in San Jose, notching three assists to break a brief two-game scoreless streak. Kaprizov is second in the NHL in points with 24, trailing only Nathan MacKinnon. His performance on the road has been especially impressive, contributing 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) in away games this season.

Minnesota also holds a significant psychological edge over Anaheim, boasting a 15-1-0 record against the Ducks in their past 16 meetings dating back to 2021.

Ducks Looking to Regroup

Meanwhile, the Ducks find themselves in a slump, going 0-2-1 over their past three games. Anaheim’s struggles were highlighted in Tuesday’s 5-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks, where the Ducks squandered an early lead and were outshot 37-22.

Forward Alex Killorn acknowledged the team’s recent challenges, especially in terms of energy and consistency.

“It seems like the harder you try, the harder things become,” Killorn said. “We had a good start, but we never found it again.”

Offensive production has been a sore spot for Anaheim, which has scored the fewest goals in the NHL with just 25 through 12 games. The Ducks have also struggled on special teams, ranking 27th on the power play (15 percent) and 28th on the penalty kill (73.5 percent).

Goaltending Matchup

For the Wild, goaltending duties will likely shift to Filip Gustavsson after Marc-Andre Fleury started Thursday’s game in San Jose. Gustavsson has been solid with a .917 save percentage and a 2.33 goals-against average in nine starts this season.

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Anaheim’s Lukas Dostal has been a bright spot amid the team’s struggles, starting 10 of the Ducks’ 12 games. However, with nine goals allowed in his past two starts, the Ducks may turn to backup James Reimer to give Dostal some rest.

Key Storylines to Watch

1. Can the Wild Extend Their Road Success?
   Minnesota has been dominant away from home this season. If they can maintain their strong road form, they could continue to build momentum.
2. Will Kaprizov Stay Hot?
   After a three-assist performance against San Jose, Kaprizov will look to continue his offensive surge against a struggling Ducks defense.
3. Ducks’ Offensive Woes
   Anaheim needs to find a way to generate more shots and scoring chances, particularly on the power play. A lack of offensive production has been a major factor in their recent slide.

Outlook

The Wild are clearly the favorites heading into this matchup, with their stellar road record and recent history of dominance over the Ducks. However, Anaheim will be desperate to snap their losing streak, especially on home ice. If the Ducks can tighten up defensively and capitalize on Minnesota’s shaky penalty kill, they could give themselves a chance to end their skid.

For the Wild, this game is an opportunity to continue their impressive road run and build more momentum as they chase the top of the Western Conference standings.