Minnesota Wild vs. Los Angeles Kings 12/7/2024 – The matchup between the Minnesota Wild (18-4-4) and the Los Angeles Kings (15-8-3) certainly seems to form an interesting contest heading into the game. As the two teams face each other for the first time of numerous clashes across the NHL regular season on Saturday, December 7, 2024, at Crypto.com Arena, fans and players are expecting a great game. This is surely a game worth watching as it will be kicked off at 8:00 PM ET which would be broadcasted live on ESPN+.
Minnesota Wild vs. Los Angeles Kings 12/7/2024
When: Saturday, December 7, 2024, at 8:00 PM ET
Where: Crypto.com Arena
TV: ESPN+
Stream: NHL.TV
Minnesota Wild vs. Los Angeles Kings 12/7/2024 Betting Odds:
| Team | PUCKLINE | TOTAL | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild | +1.5 (-225) | 5.5 over (-115) | +102 |  |
| Kings | -1.5 (+180) | 5.5 under (-105) | -127 | |
| ||||
Staying up with us?? Reply using #mnwildFirst with your guess of who will score first for a chance to win a prize. One winner will be selected.
Rules » https://t.co/mi1zBVthyz#mnwildFirst x @ticasino pic.twitter.com/EVvJCKagqx
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) December 7, 2024
Current betting odds indicate that the Kings are slightly favored in what appears to be an even game, but with Minnesota’s positive moneyline it seems betting on them could give good value given their form this season. Apart from the margins and the total, betting appears to be lucrative for this game as it is anticipated to be close and possibly a high-scoring encounter.
Goaltender Filip Gustavsson vs. Goaltender David Rittich
Filip Gustavsson has solidified his presence with the Wild as he maintains a 0.929 save rate over 19 games, conceding just 39 goals. This strong man between the posts will be important as he encounters the likes of Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe on the Kings’ potent offense.
Taking the crease for Kings would be David Rittich. Rittich has a lesser performance than Gustavsson as evidenced by his save percentage of 0.891 and 36 goals against in his 17 games played. It will be essential for the Kings to go through Rittich’s resilience when facing the offensive powerhouses of Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy who are members of the Wild.
Perhaps it all comes down to the goalies when Gustavsson and Rittich meet in their goaltender duel: after all, given their respective vital statistics, it would seem that Gustavsson is the player best suited to cop the pressure gun. But Rittich has unsettled the Wild with his toughness and poise in the past, which should make this goaltending duel quite entertaining.
Wild’s Winning Formula: Key Statistical Insights
The good performances of the individual players and the strong team dynamics are further supported by the fact that the Minnesota Wild managed to perform tremendously well throughout the season. From the onset, Kirill Kaprizov, who is critical to the offensive dynamics of the team, heads the scoring chart with 39 points while goalie Filip Gustavsson has 0.929 goals against average. Their resources were more than enough to overwhelm the Anaheim Ducks when they won with a score of 5-1 thus also building confidence in their ability to perform in critical matches.
Kings’ Court: Analyzing Los Angeles’ Team Performance
This season, the Los Angeles Kings’ plans revolve around two-time Stanley Cup winner Anze Kopitar, who leads the team with 30 points. The two-way contributions of Kopitar, alongside Kempe and Laferriere, have enabled the Kings to remain relevant. Recent downturns in form aside, their stats indicate that they keep generating and giving up roughly the same number of chances which indicates excellent goaltending from David Rittich, helpful in winning close contests. For the Kings to be decisive this season, they will need to work on their consistency further.
Trends
Minnesota Wild Betting Trends
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota’s last 6 games.
Minnesota are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games.
Minnesota are 2-5 SU in their last 7 games against Los Angeles.
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Minnesota’s last 10 games on the road.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota’s last 5 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Kings Betting Trends
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Los Angeles’ last 8 games.
Los Angeles are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games.
Los Angeles are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games at home.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Los Angeles’ last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Los Angeles’ last 5 games against an opponent in the Western Conference conference.
Minnesota Wild vs. Los Angeles Kings Betting Prediction
Minnesota Wild have been in form with their statistics therefore, it’s expected that they will win this contest. With their overwhelming offense and great goaltending by Gustavsson, they are good value even as underdogs. The only concern is that the Kings are the hosts and their offense might click which may swing the game in any direction.
There is less risk in the puck line, but those who are in search of value can look forward to backing the Wild on the money line. Also, prop bets involving Kaprizov or Kopitar to score may provide value, given their scoring ability.
Score Prediction: Wild 3, Kings 2.
