The Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild will head to the state of hockey for games three and four of their first round series, after Minnesota earned a split in Vegas.
Despite the Wild's chance to steal home ice advantage, the higher-seeded Vegas remains the NHL betting favorite for the series.
Here are our best free picks and predictions for Golden Knights vs. Wild on May 20 at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Golden Knights vs Wild game info
• Location: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN
• Date: Thursday, May 20, 2021
• Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
• TV: SN360, NBCSN, BS-WI, ATTSN-RM
Golden Knights vs Wild odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
Compare NHL odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
NHL Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonThis moneyline bounced around a bit at TwinSpires Sportsbook, opening at Vegas -122, flipping to Minnesota -112 and sitting at Vegas -113 at 6:45 p.m. ET. The Golden Knights are attracting 71 percent of tickets and 55 percent of money. The total is steady at 5.5, with 65 percent of tickets on the Over and 62 percent of money on the Under.
Check out the full line movement for this gameGolden Knights vs Wild series odds
Golden Knights: -180
Wild: +145
Golden Knights at Wild betting preview
Injuries
Golden Knights: Max Pacioretty LW (Questionable), Peyton Krebs C (Out), Patrick Brown C (Out).
Wild: Andrew Hammond G (Out), Marco Rossi C (Out).
Find our latest NHL injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings between the Golden Knights and Wild. Find more NHL betting trends for Golden Knights vs. Wild.
Moneyline pick
The great Knights team we saw during the regular season showed up in game two, despite the Wild continuously proving to be a bogey team for Vegas. The Knights are 2-6 over their last eight games against Minnesota, who they finished five games ahead of during the regular season and outrank in nearly every metric.
All that appeared to go out the window when Matt Dumba broke the game two deadlock to give the Wild a lead, with Minnesota threatening to run away with the series before they had even taken to their home rink. Crucially, Vegas' postseason experience came through almost immediately, with Jonathan Marchessault evening the scoring just 18 seconds later, with the Golden Knights never looking back.
The final 25 minutes of game two were the most lopsided of the series, with Vegas finally finding an edge and controlling play against the Wild. Though Minnesota has typically had Vegas' number, the Knights have the superior roster, considerable postseason experience and they can depend on one of the best playoff goalies of all time, with Marc-Andre Fleury seemingly primed to deliver another excellent postseason.
As Marchessault's equalizer proved in game two, experienced postseason squads can step up and deliver when their backs are against the wall. The stellar play of both goalies should see this series consistently deliver tight contests, but with home ice advantage hanging in the balance, the Knights will step up and get the road win.
PREDICTION: Golden Knights (-115)
Over/Under pick
Goals have been hard to come by through two games of the Wild and Knights' series, with Minnesota's 1-0 overtime win in game one followed up with 30 minutes of goalless hockey in a game two that finished 3-1.
Fleury has been outstanding through two games, stopping 63 of the Wild's 65 shots. His counterpart, Cam Talbot, has been every bit as good, with a 42-save shutout in game one serving as a heroic performance. The two goalies have traded stellar first period performances, with Talbot keeping his team in game one with a 19-save first frame and Fleury doing the same in game two, stopping 17 shots.
Not only have both teams gotten excellent goaltending, but the high-level intensity and commitment both defenses displayed during the regular season has carried over. The Wild allowed the seventh-fewest high danger chances during the regular season and blocked the second-most shots, while the Knights led the league in blocked shots. Through two games, Minnesota is far out ahead of the pack in blocked shots, with 40.
With Vegas scoring just three times at home and the Wild netting a pair through two games, some positive regression can be expected. Minnesota has an expected goals of 5.44 in the series, while Vegas' is 6.12. However, even with a little added puck luck, it's not enough for us to go Over in what has been a tightly contested matchup all season long.
PREDICTION: Under 5.5 (-127)
Golden Knights vs Wild betting card
- Golden Knights (-115)
- Under 5.5 (-127)
Picks made on 5/19/2021 at 6:15 p.m. ET
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