Minnesota Wild vs Anaheim Ducks Picks & Predictions for Friday January 2, 2026
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The Minnesota Wild (24-10-7) head to the Honda Center to face the Anaheim Ducks (21-16-3) on Friday, January 2, 2026 at 10:30 PM ET on ESPN+. Minnesota is listed as a small road favorite (MIN -130), and this matchup sets up as one of those classic “team you trust vs team that can score but bleeds chances” games. Be ready for all the NHL action with our free NHL picks.
Minnesota Wild: Better defensive team, major edge in goal
Minnesota’s profile is built to travel. They’ve been strong away from home (11-6-2) and, on the season, they’re the better defensive team by a clear margin: 2.59 GAA vs Anaheim’s 3.53 GAA. Offensively they’re solid (3.07 GF/G), but the big separator here is the goaltending.
The Wild can roll out either Filip Gustavsson (2.47 GAA, .912 SV%) or Jesper Wallstedt (2.21 GAA, .928 SV%), and those numbers are the type that can outright swing a matchup against a team like Anaheim that generates volume but also gives up quality looks the other way. Minnesota also isn’t reliant on one guy: Matt Boldy is leading them with 47 points (25G, 22A), and Kirill Kaprizov is driving playmaking with 24 assists.
The one note from the ESPN preview is Minnesota is on a “losing streak,” and their last five show three losses (including a 4-3 SO loss at San Jose and a couple of overtime defeats). But they also have quality wins mixed in, including 5-2 at Vegas and 4-3 OT at Winnipeg, which tells you the floor is still high. Even when Minnesota loses, it’s often tight.
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Anaheim Ducks: Dangerous scoring, but this is a rough defensive/goaltending spot
Anaheim can put pucks in the net (3.33 GF/G) and they fire a ton of shots (31.0 SF/G), so there’s always upset potential if they start fast. Leo Carlsson (42 points), Cutter Gauthier (19 goals), and Troy Terry (26 assists) give them enough top-end production to make Minnesota uncomfortable.
But their overall team defensive number is the problem: 3.53 GAA is a big hill to climb against a Wild team that’s more efficient defensively and far more stable in net. Anaheim’s goaltending has been shaky compared to Minnesota’s options: Lukas Dostal (3.15 GAA, .888 SV%) and Petr Mrazek (3.78 GAA, .865 SV%). That’s a major mismatch if Minnesota plays a structured road game and forces Anaheim to defend in layers.
Anaheim’s recent form also isn’t encouraging: they’ve dropped four straight, including three one-goal losses (two in overtime), plus a 6-1 loss at LA. They’re competitive, but they’ve been leaking too many goals at the wrong times.
How this matchup sets up
- Goaltending advantage: Minnesota (Gustavsson/Wallstedt vs Dostal/Mrazek)
- Defensive profile: Minnesota (2.59 GAA vs 3.53 GAA)
- Anaheim can score, but also gives up a lot — which is risky vs a team that can win low-event games
- Total is high at 6.5, which tells you the market expects Anaheim’s style to drag this upward
Wild vs Ducks Prediction
My best bet is Minnesota Moneyline (-130). The Wild have the stronger defensive baseline, the more dependable goaltending, and a road record that supports backing them in this price range.
For the total, I lean Under 6.5 (-115). Even though Anaheim games can get wild, Minnesota’s best path to win is to slow this down, lean on their goaltending, and keep Anaheim from turning it into a track meet. With 6.5 on the board, you don’t need a 2-1 type game—you just need Minnesota to keep Anaheim from exploding.
If you want a plus-money angle, Minnesota -1.5 (+195) is the “they control the game + Ducks’ shaky goaltending” bet, but I’d treat that as a smaller sprinkle compared to the moneyline. The best sportsbooks are the best way to go when you are betting on the Wild. Make sure you know about how the fans are looking on prediction markets for the Ducks with the Onyx Odds promo code. Getting the most out of your bets on Wild vs Ducks can be done by using the Fanatics Sportsbook promo code.
Best Picks:
- Minnesota Wild ML (-130)
- Under 6.5 (-115) (lean)
- Minnesota -1.5 (+195) (sprinkle)
Final Score Prediction: Minnesota Wild 4, Anaheim Ducks 2
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