The Chicago Blackhawks (11-9-5) and Vegas Golden Knights (11-6-8) meet in the NHL tonight. Puck drop is set for 10:00 p.m. EST at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
The Golden Knights are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 6.5 (+104o / -125u). The Golden Knights are a -290 favorite to win outright, while the Blackhawks are +230 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Blackhawks vs. Golden Knights predictions and NHL picks.
Blackhawks vs. Golden Knights Odds, Pick
| Blackhawks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -110 | 6.5 +104o / -125u | +230 |
| Golden Knights Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -110 | 6.5 +104o / -125u | -290 |
- Blackhawks vs. Golden Knights Spread: Golden Knights -1.5 (-110 ), Blackhawks +1.5 (-110)
- Blackhawks vs. Golden Knights Over/Under: 6.5 (+104o / -125u)
- Blackhawks vs. Golden Knights Moneyline: Blackhawks +230, Golden Knights -290
Blackhawks vs. Golden Knights Preview
Chicago Blackhawks
I remember there was a time last season that people were already claiming that Connor Bedard wasn’t “all that.” Are we ready to revisit that fallacy?
Because the kid is lighting up the league with the third most points with 37, only behind Macklin Celebrini and Nathan MacKinnon.
The Blackhawks' glow up is real, and the major question is… is this a playoff team? Right now, they’re one point out of the final Wild Card spot, so they’re certainly playing exponentially better than they have for the past two seasons.
But recently, Chicago endured a rough stretch, where it lost five games in a row – four of those games being at home – before it got back on the hump and beat the Ducks 5-3 on Sunday.
Regardless of what happens, this team is still young, and periods of losing are going to happen to any squad.
At the start of the season, Frank Nazar was lighting up the league. But, he hasn’t found the back of the net since October 28th. I’m not worried about him, but for young players, these stretches happen.
I’m thrilled to see how goaltender Spencer Knight has bounced back after starting his career in Florida. He’s been playing like one of the best netminders in the league, with a .918 SV% and a third-best 14.7 GSAx.
Vegas Golden Knights
This is especially a fascinating game, because it marks the season debut for goaltender Carter Hart, who remains one of the more controversial players in the NHL today after his involvement in the Hockey Canada scandal.
But after he was acquitted, Vegas wasted no time in signing him to a two-year contract.
Prior to his leave of absence, Hart was one of the more promising young goalies in the league with the Philadelphia Flyers. So, his first taste of NHL action in a year and a half will be against a young, run-and-gun squad.
The Golden Knights are in a similar position as their counterparts, having lost four straight games at the end of the month, before capping off the month with a win.
Overall, it’s been a weird season for Vegas, constantly dealing with injuries, especially in net, which prompted the signing of Hart. Regardless, Jack Eichel continues to play like one of the better players in hockey, scoring eight points in his last six games and building a remarkable chemistry with Mitch Marner.
Sniper Pavel Dorofeyev has also gone on a cold spell, having not scored a goal in seven consecutive games; however, undrafted youngster Braeden Bowman has seemingly come out of nowhere, notching seven points in his first 10 NHL games.
Blackhawks vs. Golden Knights Prediction
Earlier, I had mentioned Nazar and his inability to put the puck in the net as of late, and the numbers indicate that Nazar has had a rough stretch.
But it’s not for the lack of trying.
In this past month, Nazar has had a PDO of .936, the third-lowest on the team. PDO is essentially the “luck-meter,” and if you’re posting a PDO of 1.000 or lower, you’re not getting the bounces you want.
There’s no doubt that Nazar hasn’t been playing his best hockey since starting the season red hot. But you can slowly start to see his game popping back up. He’s posted six assists in his past eight games and he’s been peppering shots on net.
With a goaltender like Hart coming in for his first action in over a year and a half, I’m skeptical. Hart looked terrible in his conditioning stint in the AHL, posting an .839 SV%.
I’m all for a bounce-back for the boys, and Nazar seems like the perfect candidate to take advantage of the chink in the Knights’ armor.
Pick: Frank Nazar Anytime Goal Scorer (+320)
