Minnesota Wild vs Boston Bruins prediction: Wallstedt and the NHL's stingiest defense test Boston's finishers
The Wild allow the fewest goals in the league and ride a 10-game unbeaten run into TD Garden, where the Bruins win by converting chances they rarely outshoot anyone to get.
Minnesota Wild covered the closing puck line (Minnesota Wild -1.5). The game went over the closing total of 5.5.
| Line | Minnesota Wild -130 (puck line -1.5) |
|---|---|
| Total (over/under) | 6 |
- Expect a tight, low-event game: Minnesota controls the shot count, while Boston needs its finishing touch to beat a goalie stopping .925.
- Watch Boston's discipline: the Bruins rank 31st in penalty minutes, and Minnesota's power play converts at 27.0%, 7th in the league.
- Minnesota is a slight road favorite at -116, and the total has dropped from 6.5 to 6.0; Wild games have gone under 13 times.
Stopping a team that finishes
Two of the league's best teams by goal differential share the ice Saturday, and they win in different ways. Minnesota (14-3-4) wins by smothering: it allows a league-low 2.19 goals per game and has gone unbeaten in its last 10. Boston wins by finishing. The Bruins rank 3rd in shooting percentage at 13.5%, which is how they've built a top-three goal differential while getting outshot.
That last point is the crack Minnesota will push on. Boston's shot share, its slice of all shots in its games, sits at 48.9%, 20th in the league. The Wild sit 7th at 53.1%. If Boston's shooters cool off even a little against this defense, the Bruins have little shot volume to fall back on.
Wallstedt against a rattled Swayman
Jesper Wallstedt is the probable starter for Minnesota, and he has been the best reason the Wild sit atop the goals-against table. He carries a .925 save percentage and a 1.94 goals-against average across 18 starts. Filip Gustavsson remains out after hip surgery, so the crease is Wallstedt's.
Jeremy Swayman is expected to start for Boston after a rough Thursday. He was pulled against Montreal after allowing four goals on 17 shots, the first early hook of a starter by coach Marco Sturm this season. His season mark of .913 is solid, and backup Michael DiPietro has been sharper in a smaller sample. How Swayman responds against a team that peppers the net is the swing factor of the night.
Boston's penalty problem
The special-teams edge leans hard toward Minnesota. Power play percentage measures power-play goals per opportunity, and the Wild convert 27.0% of theirs. Boston hands out chances freely: it ranks 25th in times shorthanded and 31st in penalty minutes per game.
The Bruins can't count on answering in kind. Their power play converts just 18.0%, 27th in the league. Boston's counterweight is the faceoff dot, where it ranks 3rd at 55.7% against a Wild team that sits 26th. Winning draws is how the Bruins can shorten Minnesota's time in the offensive zone.
Stars and the lineup questions
Kirill Kaprizov has been relentless, with 17 goals and 35 points in 21 games. Matt Boldy arrives off his second hat trick of the season in Thursday's win at Toronto. For Boston, David Pastrnak leads the way with 24 points.
Minnesota's lineup has two open questions. Joel Eriksson Ek left Thursday's game after a high hit from Jake McCabe and is listed as day-to-day. Coach John Hynes did not expect a long-term injury. Brock Faber, recovering from a preseason skull fracture, told the team he was ready to return Saturday. Hynes has since said more conversations are needed, so his status is unsettled. A return would be his regular-season debut, and he projects to pair with Quinn Hughes. Boston remains without center James Hagens, who is out for multiple weeks with a back injury.
What the market is saying
The books make the road team a slight favorite: Minnesota sits at -116 and Boston at -101, with the Wild laying 1.5 goals on the puck line. Minnesota beat Boston 4-1 in the first meeting in October, and this is the second and final meeting of the season.
The bigger move is on the total. Our feed first saw it at 6.5, and it now sits at 6.0. That fits Minnesota's profile: Wild games have gone under 13 times against 8 overs. Both teams also cover the puck line often, with Boston at 14-5 this season.
- First period: Boston scores 1.21 first-period goals per game, 2nd in the league, against a Wild team that allows 0.57, also 2nd.
- Lineup news: Watch the status of Faber and Eriksson Ek, who are both unsettled for Minnesota.
Minnesota Wild vs Boston Bruins line movement and odds
| Book | Wild ML | Bruins ML | Wild spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM | -130 | +110 | -1.5 (+185) | o6 (-110) |
| DraftKings | -130 | +110 | -1.5 (+200) | o5.5 (-135) |
| ESPN BET | -125 | +105 | -1.5 (+200) | o5.5 (-125) |
| Fanatics | -130 | +110 | -1.5 (+190) | o5.5 (-135) |
| FanDuel | -134 | +112 | -1.5 (+184) | o6.5 (+112) |
| Hard Rock Bet | -130 | +100 | -1.5 (+180) | o5.5 (-130) |
| Caesars | -135 | +112 | -1.5 (+185) | o6 (-112) |
Where the money is on Minnesota Wild vs Boston Bruins
On the Kalshi moneyline: Minnesota Wild: 60% of bets, 70% of the money; Boston Bruins: 40% of bets, 30% of the money. On the Kalshi spread: Minnesota Wild -1.5: 80% of bets, 86% of the money; Boston Bruins +1.5: 20% of bets, 14% of the money. On the Kalshi total: Over 6.5: 21% of bets, 8% of the money; Under 6.5: 80% of bets, 92% of the money.
Minnesota Wild vs Boston Bruins stats (this season)
| Stat | Minnesota Wild | Boston Bruins |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 14-3-4 | 13-5-1 |
| Goals per game | 3.33 (10th of 32) | 3.63 (6th of 32) |
| Goals allowed per game | 2.19 (1st of 32) | 2.42 (3rd of 32) |
| Goal differential per game | 1.14 (4th of 32) | 1.21 (2nd of 32) |
| Shots on goal per game | 29.2 (6th of 32) | 27.0 (20th of 32) |
| Shots allowed per game | 25.9 (7th of 32) | 28.3 (20th of 32) |
| Shot share | 53.1% (7th of 32) | 48.9% (20th of 32) |
| Shooting % | 11.4% (17th of 32) | 13.5% (3rd of 32) |
| Team save % | 91.5% (1st of 32) | 91.4% (2nd of 32) |
| Power play % | 27.0% (7th of 32) | 18.0% (27th of 32) |
| Penalty kill % | 79.7% (11th of 32) | 78.5% (14th of 32) |
| Faceoff % | 47.6% (26th of 32) | 55.7% (3rd of 32) |
Key players
- Kirill Kaprizov (Minnesota Wild): Kaprizov has 17 goals and 35 points in 21 games this season.
- Jesper Wallstedt (Minnesota Wild): Wallstedt owns a .925 save percentage and 1.94 goals-against average this season.
- Quinn Hughes (Minnesota Wild): Hughes has 28 points while logging 28.2 minutes a night this season.
- Matt Boldy (Minnesota Wild): Boldy leads the Wild with 88 shots and has 10 goals this season.
- David Pastrnak (Boston Bruins): Pastrnak leads Boston with 24 points, 16 of them assists, this season.
- Jeremy Swayman (Boston Bruins): Swayman has a .913 save percentage and 2.42 goals-against average this season.
- Elias Lindholm (Boston Bruins): Lindholm has 17 points and is shooting 20.0% this season.
- Michael DiPietro (Boston Bruins): DiPietro has a .924 save percentage across 6 games this season.
Numbers that matter
| Wild goals allowed per game | 2.19 | The lowest mark in the league, 1st of 32. |
|---|---|---|
| Bruins shooting percentage | 13.5% | Ranks 3rd, the engine behind Boston's scoring despite a 20th-ranked shot share. |
| Bruins penalty minutes per game | 13.9 | Ranks 31st of 32, a problem against a Wild power play ranked 7th. |
| Wild moneyline | -116 | Minnesota is a slight favorite on the road. |
| Total | 6.0 | Down from 6.5 when our feed first saw the game. |
Minnesota Wild vs Boston Bruins: quick answers
What was the final score of Minnesota Wild vs Boston Bruins?
Minnesota Wild 6, Boston Bruins 2 (final). Minnesota Wild covered the closing puck line (Minnesota Wild -1.5). The game went over the closing total of 5.5.
What is the over/under for Minnesota Wild vs Boston Bruins?
The total is 6 goals.
When is Minnesota Wild vs Boston Bruins?
Saturday, November 14, 2026 at 7:10 PM ET.
Where is Minnesota Wild vs Boston Bruins played?
TD Garden, Boston.
Has the line moved for Minnesota Wild vs Boston Bruins?
No: Minnesota Wild has stayed at -1.5, and the total moved from 6.5 to 5.5 (consensus of the regulated US sportsbooks since we first saw the game).
Where is the money on Minnesota Wild vs Boston Bruins?
On the Kalshi moneyline: Minnesota Wild: 60% of bets, 70% of the money; Boston Bruins: 40% of bets, 30% of the money. On the Kalshi spread: Minnesota Wild -1.5: 80% of bets, 86% of the money; Boston Bruins +1.5: 20% of bets, 14% of the money. On the Kalshi total: Over 6.5: 21% of bets, 8% of the money; Under 6.5: 80% of bets, 92% of the money.