Free NHL Picks Today: Vancouver Canucks vs Minnesota Wild 3/2/23

The Vancouver Canucks (24-31-5) play host to the Minnesota Wild (34-21-6) at Rogers Arena on Thursday. Minnesota is coming off a 2-1 shootout win over the Islanders on Tuesday. The Wild committed only one penalty in the game, holding New York without a power play goal. Ryan Reaves scored the only goal for the Wild.

Filip Gustavsson saved an impressive 39 of 40 shots (.975%) in the win. Vancouver is playing the first of six games at home after an exciting 5-4 overtime win over the Stars on Monday. Anthony Beauvillier scored twice to lead the Canucks. Thatcher Demko stopped only 34 of 38 shots (.894%).

HEAD TO HEAD

The Wild have won both games between the teams this season, including a 3-0 victory in their most recent meeting in December, their seventh straight win against Vancouver. Mats Zuccarello led Minnesota with two points (0G 2A). Gustavsson saved 35 shots to earn the shutout win.

FACING OFF

Minnesota is averaging 2.79 goals per game for the season, 26th in the NHL, and they are taking on a Canucks team that is allowing 3.97 goals a game (31st).

Meanwhile, Vancouver has found the net 3.35 times a game on average, 10th in the league, and the Wild are allowing opponents to score 2.69 goals per game (8th).

The Wild’s 23.66% power play percentage ranks seventh in the league, while the Canucks are 10th with a conversion rate of 22.77%. Vancouver has been poor at penalty killing, as the home team possesses the league’s lowest PK% at 67.23%. Minnesota’s 82.29% ranks eighth in the NHL.

TOP PERFORMERS:

With 71 points this season, Kirill Kaprizov is the top skater for the Wild. He is among the league leaders with 37 goals (5th) and has added 34 assists. In the net, Gustavsson (15-8-3) is Minnesota’s top goaltender by goals against average.

He has a 2.11 GAA, second-best in the league, and a .928% save percentage, also second-best. Marc-Andre Fleury (18-13-3) leads the Wild in games played in goal. He has a GAA of 2.86 and a save percentage of .904%.

Elias Pettersson leads the Canucks in scoring with 76 points (8th in the league). He has 28 goals and 48 assists (9th). Spencer Martin (11-15-1) is the top goalie for Vancouver with a goals against average of 3.99. He has a save percentage of .871%.