The first-round playoff clash in the Stanley Cup between the Minnesota Wild and the Vegas Golden Knights will take place on April 26 at the Xcel Energy Center. The series score is 2-1 in favor of Minnesota. Minnesota vs. Vegas: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Minnesota Wild
John Hynes' team took the lead in the series by winning the last home game 5-2. Notably, the team scored twice while shorthanded and twice on the power play. Marco Rossi (1+1) and Kirill Kaprizov, who scored a brace, each earned two points for Minnesota. In this playoff, the club ranks among the worst in penalty killing (66.7%), but they are also among the top three in scoring with 12 goals.
- Minnesota has not scored more than three goals in regulation time in 10 of their last 11 NHL home games.
- The club has won four previous home games in the league (3 in OT).
- No more than six goals have been scored in regulation time in 13 of the last 16 NHL home games for Minnesota.
Vegas Golden Knights
The recent defeat was Bruce Cassidy's third in the last four away games (2 in shootouts). In this Stanley Cup run, Vegas is among the league's worst in penalty killing (66.7%) and ranks among the top three teams for goals conceded (12 goals).
- Vegas has won 5 of the last 6 NHL meetings at Minnesota's venue (1 in shootouts).
- The club has scored at least three goals in regulation time in 6 of the last 9 away league games.
- At least six goals have been scored in regulation time in 5 of the last 6 NHL games involving Vegas.
Minnesota vs. Vegas: Match Prediction
Currently, Minnesota leads the series largely thanks to Kirill Kaprizov, who already has seven points in three games and tops the league's scoring race (4+3). Additionally, over the last two games, the team has scored ten goals in total, and their opponent finds it challenging to counter their play, which is surprising given that Vegas was initially the clear favorite in this series.
Judging by Minnesota's recent performances and the convincing play of their leaders, I believe the team will continue to show high efficiency at home. In this matchup, their average scoring rate is four goals per game. Vegas, on the other hand, has conceded at least three goals in regulation time in 4 of the last 6 league games.
I expect that even if Vegas manages to level the series, the hosts will still deliver on scoring. Notably, Minnesota has scored at least three goals in regulation time in 6 of their last 10 home NHL games, so my prediction: Minnesota Wild individual total over 2.5
