The Minnesota Wild upset the Vegas Golden Knights in a 1-0 overtime thriller on Sunday and will try to repeat that success in Game 2 of their best-of-seven series on Tuesday night.
The Knights entered the postseason with NHL betting odds of -266 to win their first-round matchup with the Wild but after losing in Game 1 have seen their series odds shrink to -115.
Here are our best free Wild vs. Golden Knights picks and predictions for NHL playoff action on Tuesday, May 18, with the puck dropping at 10:00 p.m. ET.
Wild vs Golden Knights game info
• Location: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
• Date: Tuesday, May 18, 2021
• Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
• TV: NBCSN, SN 360
Wild vs Golden Knights odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
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NHL Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonVegas hit TwinSpires' odds board as a -159 favorite, got as high as -175 and is at -167 at 7 p.m. ET. The Golden Knights are taking 78 percent of moneyline tickets and 82 percent of moneyline dollars. The total is stable at 5.5, with the Over getting 57 percent of bets/61 percent of money.
Check out the full line movement for this gameWild vs Golden Knights series odds
Wild: -105
Golden Knights: -115
Wild at Golden Knights betting preview
Injuries
Wild: Marco Rossi C (Out).
Golden Knights: Max Pacioretty LW (Questionable).
Find our latest NHL injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Golden Knights are 6-0 in their last six games after scoring two goals or fewer in their previous contest. Find more NHL betting trends for Wild vs. Golden Knights.
Moneyline pick
Maybe it's a matchup nightmare for Vegas, or maybe it's just psychological, but for whatever reason, the Knights just can't seem to beat the Wild.
After Sunday's loss, the Knights are just 1-6 in their last seven games versus Minnesota. The lone Vegas victory during that span came in overtime.
Vegas is clearly the more talented team, however, and finished the regular season with the second-best point percentage (.732) in the NHL. The Knights were dominant on both ends of the ice, ranking third in the league in scoring with 3.39 goals per game and first in goals per game allowed at 2.18.
The Wild were ninth with 3.21 gpg and ranked 17th with 2.84 gpg allowed. Minnesota also struggled to control possession, ranking just 26th in the NHL in Fenwick For Rating at even strength and was 28th in the league in faceoff win percentage.
The Wild also had mixed results on the road, going 14-11-3 with a goal differential of minus-10. The Knights, meanwhile, were excellent at home and went 21-5-2 with a plus-37 goal differential.
Sometimes you just have to throw out head-to-head results and back the better overall team. With Vegas facing a possible 2-0 deficit heading back to Minnesota, expect the club to take advantage of its scoring chances and even the series in front of an energetic home crowd.
PREDICTION: Vegas (-169)
Over/Under pick
We had a defensive battle in Game 1, with both teams unable to find the back of the net in regulation. And while we might see a few more goals tonight, we probably won't see a shootout.
Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was excellent on Sunday, turning away 29 of 30 shots, and he should be a strong Vezina candidate after a regular season that saw him go 26-10 with a 1.98 GAA and .928 save percentage.
Minnesota netminder Cam Talbot was even better in Game 1, turning aside all 42 shots he faced. He was steady during the regular season, too, posting a 2.63 GAA with a save percentage of .915.
Talbot also benefits from having a terrific defensive unit in front of him, as the Wild allow the fewest high-danger chances per 60 minutes in the league and block the second-most shots.
The team with the most blocks in the league during the regular season? That would be the Golden Knights. With Vegas 12-3-1 to the Under in its 16 playoff games as a favorite, expect another lower-scoring game tonight and take the Under.
PREDICTION: Under 5.5 (-130)
Wild vs Golden Knights betting card
- Vegas (-169)
- Under 5.5 (-130)
Picks made on 5/18/2021 at 11:55 a.m. ET
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