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Chicago Blackhawks vs. Minnesota Wild Free Picks & NHL Preview

Blackhawks vs Wild NHL Spread/Handicapping

Headline: Blackhawks Put Undefeated Record on the Line – in Minnesota Wednesday Night

The NHL’s best team so far, the Chicago Blackhawks begin a six game road trip Wednesday night when they pay visit to the revamped Minnesota Wild. While the Hawks have been off since their sixth straight win to start the season since Sunday, the weary Wild will be playing their third game in four nights after dispatching the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 just last night.

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Chicago Blackhawks (6-0-0-0) at Minnesota Wild (2-2-1-0)
When: 8:00 PM ET, Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Where: Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul, Minnesota
Broadcast: NBCSN
Hawks vs. Wild Betting Lines from Bovada
Chicago Blackhawks -1½ +225 -118 
Minnesota Wild +1½ -265 +107
Over/Under: 5.5

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The Chicago Blackhawks have been superb in both ends of the rink through six games this season. The team is averaging a terrific 3.67 goals per game while allowing just 2.17 per game. Four Hawks are averaging a point or more per game thus far – Marion Hossa has five goals and Patrick Kane has seven assists already in this young season.

Chicago looks to be back to their Stanley Cup winning form – they are deep, they are talented and they are plain scary up front.

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Defensively the Hawks have also been terrific led by Corey Crawford in goal. Crawford is 5-0-0 with a 1.78 goals-against average and .933 save percentage this season and was good enough to be named the NHL’s Second Star of the week. Crawford owns a 2-1-1 mark with a 1.82 GAA in his career versus the Wild. Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith on defense certainly don’t hurt either.

The Minnesota Wild loaded up in the offseason but lost in the rebuild was the team addressing some secondary scoring. Until last night when Pierre-Marc Bouchard scored, no player outside of newly acquired Zach Parise,

Mikko Koivu of Dany Heatley had scored – not great. Koivu, Parise and Heatley have combined for 11 goals in Minnesota’s 5 games – the rest of the team has five combined! Minnesota is averaging 2.67 goals for per game – middle of the pack but the top guys need some support. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

Another issue with Minnesota is the fact that they are giving up more goals per game than they are scoring – 2.83 per game. There is a chance that Josh Harding gets the call in net for Minnesota Wednesday after Nick Backstrom played Tuesday. Harding allowed five foals in his last start but is 1-1-0 this season with a 2.56 GAA.

He is 6-3-0 career versus Chicago however.

NHL Betting Predictions:

A few trends to consider:

• Over is 11-5 in CHI last 16 vs. Northwest.
• Under is 5-1-2 in MIN last 8 Wed. games.
• MIN are 3-13 in their last 16 vs. Central.
• MIN are 17-40 in their last 57 overall.

We saw one elite team fall to an average team last night when the New York Islanders humiliated the Penguins but I can’t see the same thing happening here. Chicago is playing too well in both ends of the rink to be denied. The Hawks are the real deal with talent and depth to spare. If Chicago shuts down one line, they shut down the whole team –

I think Coach Joel Quenneville will have Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook assigned to Minnesota’s top line.

I’ll take that defensive pair in any battle any time!

Pick: Chicago Blackhawks -118

By DaveB

Dave B has been a Fantasy Football writer for us for 10 years. A couch potato wannabe, Dave’s insights have been read by 10’s of people for years. He hope’s for world peace + global relaxation. Enjoy and remember only smoke things that are completely natural.