Minnesota vs Montreal Prediction
🔊 Both teams enter this head-to-head clash riding three-game winning streaks. Whose winning run will be halted almost as soon as it began? Let's break down this NHL regular season matchup between Western and Eastern Conference teams and share our editorial prediction for the game.
Head-to-Head
📊 Over the past five seasons, the teams have faced off in 9 matches: Minnesota have claimed victory in eight of those encounters, while Montreal have won just once. Prior to the Canadians' win this season (4-3), the "Tricolores" had gone 9 consecutive matches without a victory against their opponents, managing to earn points in only one of those games.
H2H Stats Matches and Previous Teams Results
Minnesota Wild Team Overview
The Wild have strung together three consecutive victories for the first time since the Christmas break: they triumphed at home against Chicago (4-3 OT) and Calgary (4-1), and secured an away win over Edmonton (7-3). Scoring seven goals against the Oilers marked Minnesota's best offensive performance of the season, placing John Hynes' team seventh in the league for total goals (182). Kirill Kaprizov found the net against Edmonton, becoming only the second player in Wild history to score 30+ goals in a single season, matching Marian Gaborik's feat.
On home ice, Minnesota ranks second in the West with 39 points. The Wild have been picking up points in four consecutive games at the Grand Casino Arena. However, their form has been inconsistent, with five wins at the end of 2025 followed by an equal number of losses at the start of 2026.
Defenseman Zach Bogosian is expected to return for the game against the Canadian club, having been sidelined since the start of the year. Nico Sturm, who missed the last match in Canada, is nearing full recovery. Meanwhile, defenseman Jonas Brodin is anticipated to return at the beginning of March.
Match Results: Minnesota Wild
Montreal Canadiens Team Overview
The Canadiens have clinched their second three-game winning streak this month. Montreal triumphed at home against Vegas (3-2 OT) and Colorado (7-3), while also halting the winning run of Buffalo on the road (4-2). These successful outings have lifted the Canadiens to fourth place in the Eastern Conference with 69 points from 55 games. In terms of points lost, Martin St. Louis' team ranks third.
January on the road was a mixed bag for Montreal, as only half of their away games (4 out of 8) resulted in victories. However, this inconsistency hasn't dented their road record; the Canadiens remain second in the conference for points earned away from Montreal (36).
Forward Alexandre Texier is nearing his second return from injury this January. Patrik Laine will only be back on the ice after the Olympic break. Joe Veleno made his first appearance in a week in Buffalo.
Match Results: Montreal Canadiens
⚡️ Key Players
Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov ranks among the top ten NHL scorers this season with 67 points (30 goals, 37 assists). The Russian has recorded points in 7 of his last 8 games. Competing for the title of Minnesota's top scorer is Matt Boldy, who has netted 29 goals and registered points in each of his four games since returning from injury. Quinn Hughes has extended his scoring streak to 8 games (2 goals, 11 assists).
Nick Suzuki (18 goals, 46 assists), Cole Caufield (32 goals, 25 assists), and Lane Hutson (9 goals, 46 assists) continue to play pivotal roles in Montreal's offense. The Canadian forward moved closer to the NHL's top ten scorers with two assists against Buffalo. Both Suzuki and Caufield have scored in 7 of their last 8 games, while Noah Dobson extended his point streak to three games (1 goal, 3 assists).
🥅 Goaltenders
Against Edmonton, Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt delivered his best performance in the past month and a half, boasting a save percentage of 92.9% with 39 saves. His backup, Filip Gustavsson, has been consistent as well, conceding only 5 goals over the last three games.
Jakub Dobes has been in net for the Tricolore's last three games, allowing 7 goals with a save percentage of 93.1%. Meanwhile, Sam Montembeault has struggled in his last three outings, conceding 12 goals with an 82.9% save rate.
Editorial Prediction
The surging Minnesota are one of the league's top teams when playing at home. In their head-to-head matchups against the Canadian club, the Wild have clinched victory in regulation time in 10 of the last 11 encounters. Montreal, despite a modest winning streak, are under significant pressure due to their standings position-any slip-ups could push them close to the eighth spot.
For Minnesota, the scenario is slightly more favorable, and the statistics back them up as well. Therefore, we predict a victory for the Minnesota Wild in the match (including overtime and shootouts).
Betting Tips: Minnesota Wild - Montreal Canadiens
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