Betting Guide for Game 1: Minnesota Wild vs Vegas Golden Knights (Apr. 20)

• The Golden Knights are -225 moneyline favorites over the Wild in Game 1 of their 1st Round playoff series
• Vegas won all three regular season meetings, by a combined scored of 12-4
• See my Wild vs Golden Knights Game 1 odds, predictions and best bets, below

The final game on the NHL’s Sunday playoff tripleheader features the Wild vs the Golden Knights. Vegas was one of the premier teams in the West this season, finishing second only to Winnipeg. Online sportsbooks are bullish on them in Game 1, as they begin their quest to navigate the NHL playoff bracket.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7pm PT / 10pm ET at the T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas, NV, with ESPN providing the broadcast coverage.

Minnesota Wild vs Vegas Golden Knights Odds

The Golden Knights are currently -225 moneyline favorites, in a game with a total of 5.5. Vegas is also laying -1.5 goals on the puck line at plus-money odds, while Minnesota comes back as a +185 underdog.

Odds as of April 20th at Caesars. Check out SBD’s Caesars Sportsbook review to see the available sign-up bonuses.

Per the NHL public betting trends, money is pouring in on the Golden Knights. Vegas is currently drawing 92% of the moneyline wagers, and 86% of the spread bets.

Minnesota Wild vs Vegas Golden Knights Predictions

My prediction is this game underwhelms offensively. For starters, few teams are good defensively as Vegas. It’s one of the main reasons they’re so popular in the Stanley Cup odds. The Golden Knights were third in both goals against and expected goals against this season. They allowed the ninth fewest high danger scoring chances, while Adin Hill was brilliant down the stretch.

Hill was 11-3-1 in his final 15 starts, posting a .915 save percentage, and a 2.18 GAA. He was 2-0 against the Wild this season, posting a 1.00 GAA and a .950 save percentage.

Minnesota has some top end stars in Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, but overall they’re an underwhelming offensive team. The Wild were 25th in scoring this season, and 27th in expected goals against. They had a bottom-six Corsi For percentage, and were bottom-10 in high danger scoring chances.

Filip Gustavsson vs Adin Hill Stats

The Wild didn’t clinch a postseason berth until their final game of the regular season, and they’re only here because of their stingy defense. Minnesota was sixth in expected goals against, and surrendered the third fewest high danger scoring chances.

Filip Gustavsson set career-highs in wins and shutouts, while posting the second highest save percentage of his career as a starter. He’ll have his hands full, as the Golden Knights have elite offensive talent, and a wealth of depth.

11 players scored 10+ goals this season for Vegas. That group is led by Pavel Dorofeyev and Tomas Hertl, who potted 35 and 32 goals respectively, while Jack Eichel led all skaters with 94 points.

Wild vs Golden Knights Best Bets

• Under 5.5 Goals (-115 at Caesars)

The trio helped lead the Golden Knights to a 3-0 record versus the Wild during the regular season. Vegas outscored Minnesota 12-4 in those contests, racking up 40 more shots that the Wild.

On a per game basis, Minnesota ranked bottom-10 in shots as well. They also averaged just 2.8 goals as visitors, while the Golden Knights were one of the best defensive teams on home ice.

Vegas allowed only 2.4 goals in their own barn, posting a 29-9-3 record along the way. I have zero confidence the Wild are going to find success on offense in this matchup, while Minnesota’s defensive brand of hockey is just strong enough to help keep this game under the total.

Two of their three matchups fell short of the total in the regular season, and I’m betting this one will as well.

The Minnesota Wild will face off against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on April 20th, and fans and bettors alike are eagerly anticipating the matchup. Both teams have had strong seasons, with the Golden Knights finishing second in the West Division and the Wild finishing third.

When it comes to betting on this game, there are a few key factors to consider. The Golden Knights are considered the favorites to win, with odds of -150, while the Wild are the underdogs with odds of +130. This means that a $150 bet on the Golden Knights would net you a $100 profit if they win, while a $100 bet on the Wild would net you a $130 profit if they pull off the upset.

One important thing to keep in mind when betting on hockey is the importance of goaltending. Both teams have strong goaltenders in Marc-Andre Fleury for the Golden Knights and Cam Talbot for the Wild. Fleury has been solid all season, with a .928 save percentage and a 1.98 goals against average, while Talbot has also been impressive with a .915 save percentage and a 2.63 goals against average.

Another factor to consider is the head-to-head matchups between these two teams. The Golden Knights won five out of eight games against the Wild during the regular season, but the Wild have been playing well recently, winning seven out of their last ten games.

In terms of scoring, both teams have potent offenses, with the Golden Knights averaging 3.39 goals per game and the Wild averaging 3.21 goals per game. The Golden Knights have a slight edge on defense, allowing 2.18 goals per game compared to the Wild’s 2.70 goals per game.

Ultimately, when it comes to betting on this game, it’s important to consider all of these factors and do your research before placing your bets. Both teams are evenly matched and anything can happen in the playoffs, so it’s sure to be an exciting game to watch and bet on. Good luck to all the bettors out there!