The first-round playoff clash in the Stanley Cup between Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights will take place on April 25 at the Xcel Energy Center. The series is tied at 1-1. Minnesota vs. Vegas: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Minnesota Wild
John Hynes' team leveled the series by winning the last away game 5-2. By the middle of the match, Minnesota was already leading by four goals, despite having only 17 shots on target in total. Highlighting Kirill Kaprizov, who scored three points (2+1), becoming the first player in the club's history to score at least two goals in three playoff games. Notably, in this Stanley Cup run, Minnesota currently ranks lowest in power play and penalty kill, with a zero percent success rate in both. However, they are among the highest-scoring teams in the current playoffs (7 goals).
- Minnesota has not scored more than two goals in regular time in 7 of their last 10 NHL home games.
- The team has drawn in regulation time in 6 of their last 10 league matches.
- No more than six goals have been scored in regular time in 13 of Minnesota's last 15 NHL home games.
Vegas Golden Knights
Bruce Cassidy's squad ended their three-game winning streak in the last match. Notably, the team almost doubled their opponent in shot attempts (32:17). Alongside Florida, Vegas still boasts the highest power-play percentage in the current Stanley Cup run (100%), and they are also among the best in penalty killing (100%).
- Vegas has scored at least three goals in regular time in 4 of their last 5 NHL meetings at Minnesota's venue.
- The team has won 6 of their last 8 away games in the league (1 in OT).
- No more than six goals have been scored in regular time in 9 of Vegas's last 12 NHL away games.
Minnesota vs. Vegas: Match Prediction
With the psychological advantage over their opponent and playing at home, I believe Minnesota has every chance to take the lead in the series. The team did not lag far behind in terms of movement in the first game, and in the second, they had at least an advantage in execution. Meanwhile, Vegas made frequent and uncharacteristic mistakes in the match a few days ago, which the visitors capitalized on, so I think now, being the hosts, Minnesota can take the lead in the series.
In home games, the team has consistently picked up points in the last regular-season games, winning 7 out of 9 times (3 in OT). Vegas, on the other hand, has lost 2 of their last 3 away league games (2 in shootouts). It might not be certain that regular time will be enough for the hosts to succeed, but I believe the victory will be theirs in any case.
Match prediction: Minnesota Wild to win the match
