2010 NHL Hockey Night In Canada – Free Predictions: Wild vs Flames
It’s NHL hockey betting season once again. Hockey Gambling fans sure are getting their money’s worth from the free nhl picks we give out here at Capperspicks.com.
Minnesota Wild (13-13-4) at Calgary Flames (14-15-3)
CLICK HERE FOR our LIVE NHL ATS Betting Stats For This Game —>
Date/Time: Saturday, December 18, 2010, 10:00 PM ET
Venue: Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta
Broadcast: CBC (HD), FS-N (HD)
Wild vs. Flames Betting Lines from Sportsbook.com
Spread: Minnesota +1.5 (-225): Calgary -1.5 (+185)
Moneyline: Minnesota +135: Calgary -155
Total: 5 goals
CANADIAN? CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT BODOG.CA SPORTSBOOK —–>
The 13th and 14th best Western Conference teams meet in Calgary as the second game of a Hockey Night in Canada Double Header. The Minnesota Wild limp into Calgary having lost two straight games while Calgary has won its last two.
Minnesota is struggling, having gone just 3-5-2 in their last 10 games. The offense has struggled (26th ranked – 2.4 goals per game) and the defense has taken a major step backward this season (19th ranked – 2.9 goals per game). They are OK on the road, going 6-6-2 in their last 14 games away from home.
The Wild have always had an average offense but the reliable goaltending has not been there. Nicklas Backstom will likely start between the pipes despite going 1-4-1 in his last six games.
The Calgary Flames have underwhelmed as well this season. However, they have shown signs of life recently going 5-4-1 in their last 10 games and winning two straight. The Flames are 17th in the NHL with 2.7 goals per game and are 17th in the league with a 2.8 goals against. Calgary is 9-6 on home ice this season.
Calgary’s recent emergence has coincided with the better play of Jarome Iginla who has points in 10 straight games and of Olli Jokinen who recorded his first three point game of the season the other night against Toronto.
Goaltender Mikka Kiprusoff has also started to play much better and will need to continue his hot play if the Flames want to be competitive this season. He has won five of his last six starts and is an impressive 16-2-2 with a 1.68 goals against average in 20 starts against Minnesota.
Betting Prediction: It is clear that the Flames have heard the doubters in their own town and have finally started to play like a team that should be in the upper third of the Western Conference. Pressure is nothing new in Calgary – rising to the occasion is! I like the Flames to continue their better play and to defeat a Wild team that is not playing well at all right now.
Betting Pick: Calgary Flames -155
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT BODOG.COM’S NHL HOCKEY BETTING LINES FOR TONIGHTS MATCHUPS!!!!
