Wild Will Put The Puck In The Net Repeatedly

Wild vs. Penguins, 7:00 ET

I can't seem to find a win on a baseball field, so I'm pretty happy that I've gotten off to a kind start in NHL plays. We have a 2-0-1 record for the season and despite just three plays, that still leaves me undefeated by the books. I'm putting that modest record on the line tonight as we head back to the ice for another play. I am not the biggest hockey fan, but have found some good edges over the years and I think I have one tonight as the Wild head to Pittsburgh to take on the Penguins.

The Wild are off to a nice start to their season with a 5-1-2 record overall and a 4-1-1 road record. A lot of teams typically have nice starts with success on one side of the team - either offensively or on defense - but the Wild have done well on both sides. For the year, they are averaging 3.63 goals per game and only allowing 2.50 goals against per game. It is rather remarkable that this is happening considering they are shooting less than their opponent is in most games. They also have struggled against opponent Power Plays. I am a bit impressed that the success the Wild have had has come on the road. They are in the midst of a seven-game road trip. After losing the first one, they won the next four games. Their most recent game was a loss where they were outscored 7-5 by the Flyers. The Wild are going to put Marc-Andre Fleury in between the pipes. This will be just his third game of the season and the team is 1-0-1 in his two outings. His most recent start was against the Lightning where he allowed two goals on 26 shot attempts on goal.  

Oct 26, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin (71) handles the puck against the Vancouver Canucks during the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

The Penguins are struggling a bit to start the season with a 3-6-1 record and a 1-2-0 home ice record. The Penguins haven't been too bad on offense, putting in about three goals per game. The problem has been the defense. They are allowing 35 shots to opponents per game, which is resulting in over four goals per game. They are slightly better against the Power Play, but I wouldn't say that it is some sort of specialty for the team. They are also in terrible form right now. Perhaps coming home will be a pleasant surprise for them and a chance to get right. They've lost five games in a row, including four on the road. They've allowed at least four goals in each of those four losses. Tonight they are putting the better of their two goalies, Joel Blomqvist, in the net. For the year, he is just 2-3-0, allowing 3.34 goals per game, but his save percentage is .911, which is pretty solid. The problem is that he is facing way too many shots. He has already seen 180 shots against this season in just five games. Facing 36 shots, on average, is a recipe for disaster. In each game, he has seen at least 28 shots come his way.

If we look at this game on the surface, the better-performing team is certainly the Wild. Both overall, and currently, they are playing better than the Penguins. So, taking them to win at -125 isn't a bad option at all. I really can't get over the Penguins allowing the number of shots they are and the success that the Wild have been enjoying. My play is going to be the Wild over 3.5 goals. I think this is another one where the Penguins allow at least four goals.

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