The Minnesota Wild (21-23-5) battle with the struggling Chicago Blackhawks (14-34-2) for the second time this season on Wednesday, February 7, at 9:30 PM ET at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The Wild are favored to win with a puck line at -1.5 (+115).

The Wild have lost their last two games and are now 3-2 in the previous five overall. Their latest defeat was a 3-2 showing against the Anaheim Ducks, marking their second defeat in a row with a final score at 3-2.

The offense requires a little bit of effort from everyone, and has several players that lead in certain categories. Kirill Kaprizov leads with 45 points, Joel Eriksson Ek with 21 goals, and Mats Zuccarello with 31 assists.

The Wild score an average of 2.98 goals and take 30.0 shots per game. Their power play performance is somewhat unimpressive, with 34 goals scored and 44 conceded, resulting in a 20.7 power play percentage.

On the defensive end, they concede an average of 3.35 goals and face 30.6 shot attempts per game, showing a slightly unfavorable comparison to their offensive stats. Additionally, their penalty kill percentage is at 73.5, indicating a bit of weakness.

The Blackhawks are currently on a four-game losing streak and must break that cycle soon. Their most recent defeat was a 1-0 showing against the Calgary Flames, which marked their third loss out of four where they did not score a single goal.

Connor Bedard is crucial to their success on offense and is their main support for any action achieved here. He is currently leading them with 33 points, 15 goals, and 18 assists.

The Blackhawks consistently score an average of 2.08 goals per game, launching 26.4 shots and displaying a strong offensive performance. However, their power play is notably weak, with 19 goals scored and 37 yielded, resulting in a low 12.4 power play percentage.

Defensively, they allow an average of 3.52 goals and face 32.3 shots per game, creating a negative balance compared to their offensive capabilities. Their sole advantage over the Wild lies in a 76.4 penalty kill percentage.

Bookmaker reveals the latest NHL betting odds, highlighting the Minnesota Wild as 1.5-puck line favorites on the road. The Wild are well-positioned for victory, especially considering the challenges the Blackhawks are currently encountering.

The Wild won 4-1 when they played the Blackhawks in December of last year, which shows they could replicate that success. The Blackhawks have issues scoring and will be unable to keep up with the puck line, especially since they have only scored in one game out of their last four.