Prediction, Odds & Starting Goalies for Game 4 between the Golden Knights and Wild

• Minnesota has a chance to grab a surprising 3-1 series lead when it hosts Vegas Saturday afternoon at the Xcel Center.

• The Wild are 1.5-goal underdogs, but underdogs have covered the puck line in Minnesota’s last six home games.

• Let’s get Wild with my prediction, and look at the starting goalies and top odds for Knights vs Wild Saturday afternoon.

Vegas (49-36 ATS) has its back against the wall when it takes on Minnesota (41-44) in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series.

Teams that lead playoff series 2-1 advance almost 70 percent of the time in the NHL, but Minnesota hasn’t gotten out of the first round since 2015.

I’m moving on with my prediction and looking at the starting goalies for Saturday hockey in Minnesota.

Golden Knights vs Wild Starting Goalies

Let’s talk about the probable starting goalies for Game 4 between Vegas and Minnesota. One’s hot. One’s not.

Filip Gustavsson, Minnesota

The ‘Goose’ is 3-3 all-time against Vegas in his career, but two of those wins have come in Game 2 and Game 3. Gustavsson made 30 saves in the Game 3 win and 30 saves again in Game 2 for a cool .938 save percentage. That’s way over his .914 save percentage in the regular season. He’s the definition of a hot goalie.

Goose was strong in Game 1 as well, making 23 stops. For the season, he has a goals against average of 2.58 a game, which ranked 12th in the NHL among No. 1 goalies.

Adin Hill, Vegas

This is where it gets interesting. Hill was yanked after the second period of Game 3, but he will likely return in net Saturday. Hill has allowed four goals in each of the last two playoff starts, which is the most goals he’s ever allowed in back-to-back playoff games.

Hill’s save percentage is a woeful .825 in the playoffs. When Vegas won the Cup in 2023, he had a save percentage of .932 in 14 games. This could be a case of the yips and bettors should take note that he could be on a short leash.

Golden Knights vs Wild Odds

Odds from FanDuel as of Saturday morning, check out our world-class FanDuel Sportsbook review.

Vegas’ odds to win the Stanley Cup have dropped off from +1000 to +1300 at FanDuel (Minnesota is +2400), but the oddsmakers still like Vegas to win this series and this game.

The Golden Knights are 1.5-goal favorites with the total set at 5.5. Vegas leads the all-time series 20-17-1. Minnesota is 19-20-4 as underdogs this season.

There’s some real value to be found on the moneyline. Caesars has the Golden Knights -145, and the best moneyline number for the Wild is +126.

Golden Knights vs Wild Prediction

I’m predicting a Wild win and taking the 1.5 goals with me. I love that Minnesota has won four of the last five games when it was a home underdog. That’s a telling stat. I want you to mash the over. The last four games between these two teams (all set at 5.5) have gone over.

The Wild’s first line, led by Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, has eight goals and five assists between them. Vegas can’t stop them right now.

On the flipside, the Golden Knights’ stars aren’t getting it done. Jack Eichel and Mark Stone have no points in this series, add in Hill who is suddenly shaky, a pumped-up crowd in Minnesota and the handwriting is on the wall.

All the momentum is with Minnesota, and that’s where your money should be today.

The Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild are set to face off in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. With the series tied at 2-1 in favor of the Golden Knights, both teams will be looking to gain the upper hand in what promises to be a thrilling matchup.

One of the key factors in determining the outcome of this game will be the starting goalies for each team. For the Golden Knights, Marc-Andre Fleury has been a stalwart presence between the pipes all season long. The veteran netminder has a stellar 1.71 goals against average and a .931 save percentage in the playoffs so far, making him a formidable opponent for the Wild’s offense.

On the other side, the Wild will likely turn to Cam Talbot to start in goal. Talbot has been solid for Minnesota this season, posting a 2.63 goals against average and a .915 save percentage in the playoffs. While he may not have the same pedigree as Fleury, Talbot has proven himself to be a reliable option for the Wild in net.

In terms of predictions and odds for Game 4, the Golden Knights are currently favored to win with odds of -150, while the Wild are the underdogs with odds of +130. This reflects the close nature of the series so far, with both teams evenly matched and capable of pulling off a victory.

Ultimately, Game 4 is shaping up to be a crucial moment in this series, with both teams looking to gain the upper hand and take control of the momentum. With two strong goaltenders in Fleury and Talbot leading their respective teams, fans can expect a tight and competitive game that could go down to the wire. Stay tuned for what promises to be an exciting matchup between the Golden Knights and Wild.