- 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.
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The Vegas Golden Knights will face off against the Minnesota Wild in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Saturday night. The Golden Knights currently lead the series 2-1 after a thrilling overtime victory in Game 3.
Heading into Game 4, the odds are in favor of the Golden Knights to come out on top once again. Vegas has been dominant on home ice this season, boasting a 21-5-2 record at T-Mobile Arena. They have also been getting strong performances from their top players, including Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, and Marc-Andre Fleury.
On the other hand, the Wild will be looking to bounce back after a tough loss in Game 3. Minnesota has been relying on their depth scoring throughout the series, with players like Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek leading the way. They will need to continue to get production from their secondary scorers if they hope to even up the series.
In terms of starting goalies, it is expected that Marc-Andre Fleury will get the nod for the Golden Knights once again. Fleury has been stellar between the pipes all season, posting a 26-10-0 record with a .928 save percentage and a 1.98 goals against average. He will be a key factor in Vegas’ success in Game 4.
For the Wild, Cam Talbot is likely to get the start in net. Talbot has had a solid season for Minnesota, going 19-8-5 with a .915 save percentage and a 2.63 goals against average. He will need to be at the top of his game if the Wild hope to steal a win on the road.
Overall, Game 4 between the Golden Knights and Wild is shaping up to be another exciting matchup. With Vegas holding the edge in terms of odds and home ice advantage, they will be looking to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. However, Minnesota has shown resilience throughout the series and will be looking to even things up before heading back home for Game 5. It should be a thrilling game that fans won’t want to miss.