Wild vs. Blue Jackets NHL Predictions, Picks and Odds - Dec. 18

Both the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets are coming off a win, heading into their matchup at Nationwide Arena on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET. The oddsmakers have made the Wild solid favorites at -120 on the moneyline, despite being away from home, and the Blue Jackets are at +100.

Minnesota claimed a 5-0 victory at home its last time out on Dec. 16 against the Washington Capitals. Danila Yurov (one goal and two assists) and Vladimir Tarasenko (two goals and one assist) each had three points for the Wild.

In its most recent game on Dec. 16, Columbus secured a 4-3 home victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Zachary Werenski led the Blue Jackets with three points (two goals and one assist) in that matchup.

Ahead of watching this matchup, here's our prediction for which team will bring home the win in Thursday's hockey action.

Wild vs. Blue Jackets Predictions & Pick

Ahead of the upcoming contest between the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets, computer-calculated moneyline, over/under, and score predictions are below, based on data from Dunkel Index.

• Prediction: Wild 4 - Blue Jackets 1
• Pick OU: Under 6.5 (Dunkel projecting 5.06 goals)
  

Pick with the best in the business! Get free picks for every game, every week at the Dunkel Index.

Wild vs. Blue Jackets Moneylines

Take a peek below at the latest moneylines for the Wild-Blue Jackets game.

• Favorite: Wild (-120)
• Underdog: Blue Jackets (+100)

Wild Betting Insights

• The Wild are 9-8 when listed as a moneyline favorite this season.
• Minnesota is 8-7 (victorious in 53.3% of its games) when it has played with moneyline odds of -120 or shorter.
• Based on the moneyline in this contest, the Wild's implied win probability is 54.5%.
• Minnesota and its opponent have combined to score more than 6.5 goals in 13 of 34 games this season.

Blue Jackets Betting Insights

• The Blue Jackets have been made an underdog 23 times this season, and won six, or 26.1%, of those games.
• Columbus is 5-12 this season when entering a game as the underdog by +100 or more on the moneyline.
• The moneyline for this outing implies a 50.0% chance of victory for the Blue Jackets.
• Columbus has combined with its opponent to score more than 6.5 goals in 16 of 33 games this season.

Wild Key Stats

• Minnesota's 101 total goals (3.0 per game) rank 15th in the NHL.
• The Wild have conceded 86 total goals (2.5 per game), the fourth-fewest in NHL play.
• Its goal differential (+15) makes the team sixth-best in the league.
• The 27 power-play goals the Wild have recorded this season (on 117 power-play chances) are the fourth-most in the NHL.
• Minnesota's 23.08% power-play conversion rate is the ninth-best in the league.
• The Wild have capitalized with three shorthanded goals this season (ninth among NHL squads).
• Minnesota's 79.01% penalty-kill success rate ranks 22nd in the league.
• Minnesota wins 47.1% of its faceoffs to rank 26th in the NHL.
• The Wild shoot 10.6% as a team (18th in the league).

Blue Jackets Key Stats

• Columbus has 96 goals this season (2.9 per game), 20th in the NHL.
• The Blue Jackets' total of 114 goals given up (3.4 per game) is 28th in the NHL.
• it has the 28th-ranked goal differential in the league at -18.
• The Blue Jackets have 15 power-play goals (on 81 chances), 26th in the NHL.
• Columbus scores on 18.52% of its power plays, No. 16 in the NHL.
• In terms of shorthanded goals, the Blue Jackets have two.
• Columbus' has the 30th-ranked penalty-kill percentage (72.83%).
• At 50.3%, Columbus has the NHL's 14th-ranked faceoff win rate.
• The 9.7% shooting percentage of the Blue Jackets is 27th in the league.