The Ottawa Senators will be playing the second leg of a back-to-back tonight as they take on the Minnesota Wild.
The Senators played a hard-fought game last night in Winnipeg but came up short against the Jets in a 4-2 loss. The Wild have had a day off since their last game, which was a 3-2 overtime win against the Dallas Stars.
Find out why my Senators vs. Wild predictions and NHL picks for Sunday, December 29 think goals will be at a premium in this tilt.
Senators vs Wild prediction
My Senators pick
Under 6 (-112 at Pinnacle)
My Senators analysis
The Ottawa Senators have been one of the hottest teams in the NHL during the month of December as they have skated to a record of 8-3-1. One of the biggest, if not the biggest, reasons for the team's success has been the play of goaltender Linus Ullmark, who is now unfortunately out day-to-day due to injury.
Ullmark boasts a record of 7-0-1 this month with a .956 save percentage and a 1.30 goals against average. Without Ullmark, the Senators will now have to lean on Mads Sogaard and Leevi Merilainen.
Sogaard got the nod last night in Winnipeg and gave up four goals on the 23 shots he faced. That was the only game that Sogaard had started this season, but tonight, it’s more than likely that Merilainen will be in the blue paint.
Merilainen is a 22-year-old that has only played four NHL games, two in 2022-23 and two this season. He is 1-1-0 this season with a .846 SV% and a 3.72 GAA. All of that said, the team does a good job defending in front of their netminders, only allowing 9.97 high-danger chances against at 5-on-5, which is the 12th-best mark in the NHL.
The Senators have a ton of offensive weapons, but over the last seven games, the team has only scored more than three goals just once. Tonight, they have a tough challenge against Filip Gustavsson and the Minnesota Wild.
Since Gustavsson returned from injury, he has started two games and won both of them, authoring a combined .917 SV% and a 2.49 GAA. Gustavsson has been one of the best goalies in the league all season, boasting a 16-5-3 record with a .922 SV% and a 2.26 GAA along with a +11.5 goals saved above expected, which is sixth-best in the league.
Senators vs Wild odds analysis
The Senators have the offensive edge tonight because Minnesota has been struggling mightily to score goals this month. The Wild are 6-6-0 in their last 12 games, but are averaging 2.42 goals per game with a power play that needs some help as it is at 11.5% during the month of December.
Offensively speaking, Drake Batherson and Tim Stutzle have led the way for Ottawa over the past 12 games. Both have tallied 11 points, as Batherson has four goals with seven assists, while Stutzle has two goals and nine helpers. Shane Pinto and Brady Tkachuk are tied for the team lead five goals in this span.
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Senators vs Wild odds
Senators vs Wild live odds
Senators vs Wild opening odds
- Puck line: Ottawa +1.5 (-205) | Minnesota -1.5 (+178)
- Moneyline: Ottawa +130 | Minnesota -144
- Over/Under: Over 6 (-100) | Under 6 (-112)
Odds courtesy of Pinnacle
Senators vs Wild trend
The Senators have hit the Under in 29 of their last 47 away games (+11.95 Units / 23% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Senators vs. Wild.
How to watch Senators vs Wild
| Location: | Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN |
| Date: | Sunday, 12-29-2024 |
| Puck drop: | 9:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | TSN5 |
Senators vs Wild latest injuries
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