Free NHL Picks Today: Minnesota Wild vs Nashville Predators 2/19/23

The Nashville Predators (26-21-6) head to face the Minnesota Wild (29-21-5) at Xcel Energy Center on Sunday. Nashville is playing the second of a back-to-back after earning a high-scoring 7-3 win over the Panthers yesterday.

The Predators took advantage of their power play opportunities, scoring twice on three shots, while also conceding a power play goal. Tommy Novak was the top goalscorer for the Predators with two goals in regulation.

Roman Josi and Ryan McDonagh both had two assists to lead the team in scoring. Kevin Lankinen had 30 saves in the win. Minnesota beat the Stars 2-1 (SO) on Friday. Mats Zuccarello was the only player to score in regulation for the Wild. Filip Gustavsson saved 29 of 30 shots in the win (.966%).

HEAD TO HEAD

The Predators won the first meeting between the teams this season, a 2-1 victory in November. Matt Duchene (1G 1A) and Ryan Johansen (0G 2A) each had two points to lead Nashville. Frederick Gaudreau scored Minnesota’s only goal. Juuse Saros got the win, saving 32 of 33 shots (.969%).

FACING OFF

Nashville is averaging 2.77 goals per game for the season, 26th in the NHL, and they are taking on a Wild team that is allowing 2.82 goals a game (11th).

Meanwhile, Minnesota has found the net 2.85 times a game on average, 25th in the league, and the Predators are allowing opponents to score 2.98 goals per game (14th).

Power play opportunities are likely to be plentiful for the Predators, as the Wild have been penalized 4.56 times a game, fourth-most in the NHL, for an average of 12.02 minutes (third-highest). The visitors are averaging 4.17 penalties (10th) and 10.34 penalty minutes a game (9th).

The Wild’s 24.28% power play percentage ranks eighth in the league, while the Predators are 27th with a conversion rate of 16.96%. In terms of defending power plays, Minnesota has the league’s seventh-ranked PK% at 81.52%, while Nashville is 15th at 79.78%.

TOP PERFORMERS:

With 47 and 43 points this season, Josi and Duchene have been the top skaters for the Predators. In the net, Saros (20-15-5) is Nashville’s top goaltender. He has a 2.79 GAA and a .917% save percentage.Kirill Kaprizov leads the Wild in scoring with 64 points.

He has 31 goals and 33 assists in 55 games. Gustavsson (13-8-2) has the best goals against average for Minnesota at 2.12, second-best in the league.

He has a save percentage of .928%, also second-best. Marc-Andre Fleury (16-13-3) has played the most games in net for the Wild this season. He has a 2.98 GAA and a .901% save percentage.

HOME AND AWAY

Nashville is 11-11-3 away from home this season. Minnesota is 17-10-2 at Xcel Energy Center this season. Meanwhile, the Predators are 4-3 without a day off and 1-2 playing with a rest disadvantage. The Wild are 7-1 with a rest advantage.