Vegas Golden Knights vs. Minnesota Wild Game 6 Prediction, Odds
For the second straight game, Game 5 needed an extra period to decide the winner. This time, it was Brett Howden who called the game for Vegas just five minutes into the extra frame, giving the Knights a 3-2 win.
The Wild nearly missed overtime scoring with just 76 seconds left, taking a 3-2 lead. Vegas challenged the goal for offside, which was successful, sending it to sudden death.
The Golden Knights are the -160 favourite to end the series on Thursday in Game 6, according to the NHL odds. The game total is opening at 5.5 goals with puck drop at 7:30 PM ET from the Xcel Energy Center.
Golden Knights vs. Wild NHL Playoff Betting Odds
Early bettors expect this one to be high-scoring, as 82 percent of bets have smashed the OVER of 5.5 goals. The OVER has hit in four of the five games, with Game 5’s five goals being the lowest scoring contest. 89 percent are taking the Wild to cover as well, after covering in every game since the opener.
Being just one win away has put Vegas up to a -715 favourite to win the series on the NHL Futures Board, with a Wild comeback at +500. The Wild have not won a playoff round in a decade, and the Excel Energy Center will look to help their team force at least a seventh game.
Kirill Kaprizov (-140) and Matt Boldy (+110) each have five goals in the series, making it a two-horse race for the series’ top goal scorer. The interesting line is the top scorer for Vegas, with Howden (-210) and Tomas Hertl (+320) each tied with three goals. They are the only two Golden Knights who have multiple goals in the series.
Vegas Golden Knights
The way Vegas has played at times in this series would make you wonder how they even got to a sixth game. They have outshot Minnesota in every match and fairly heavily in some of them. Game 5 was no different.
They opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal from William Karlsson, his first of the postseason. The Wild would answer seconds later on that same powerplay, but Mark Stone’s first of the series would put them back in front before the intermission. A scoreless second period and a Wild goal in the third would help push the game to the extra period.
Howden scored his second game-winner of the series at 4:55 of the overtime, to give the Knights a healthy shot at the second round.
Goaltender Adin Hill has yet to play a solid game for Vegas, but he is doing enough to get his team wins. He has yet to make 30 stops in a game this series. His save percentage sits at .865 heading into Game 6. In the two games since getting yanked in Minnesota, he has picked it up a bit, posting over .900 in both games.
Minnesota Wild
Game 5 was a heartbreaker for the Wild, after having what looked to be the game-winning goal brought back due to offside, they were forced to overtime, where they missed the opportunity to put Vegas on the ropes.
The loss was tough, but Minnesota fans are likely sweating even more when starting goalie Filip Gustavsson was pulled from the contest after the second period due to an illness. The game was turned over to fan favourite Marc-Andre Fleury, but with the way Gustavsson was playing, they hope he is better for the do-or-die Game 6. Fleury announced earlier in the season that he will be hanging them up upon season’s end, and if he does go in on Thursday, it could be a cinderella story for the ages.
Kaprizov continued his postseason dominance with another goal in Game 5. He’s up to five goals and nine points in the series, carrying the offence on his back. Nine points is tied for second in the league right now, behind three players in the high-scoring Kings-Oilers series.
With their season on the line, the Wild will need to finish stronger than they did in Game 5. They had just six shots on net in the third and overtime, making it a bit too easy on the Knights’ goalie.
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