NHL Odds, Pick & Preview: Wild vs. Golden Knights (Nov. 11)
Dave Sandford/Getty Images. Pictured: Vegas Golden Knights standout Reilly Smith.
- The Wild and Golden Knights clash in what oddsmakers have tabbed a tossup in Las Vegas on Thursday night.
- The Wild have been rolling in November, but can they keep it going on the road against the Knights?
- Jacob McKenna breaks down the game and gives his top pick, below.
Wild vs. Golden Knights Odds
| Wild Odds | -110 |
| Golden Knights Odds | -110 |
| Over/Under | 5.5 |
| Time | 10 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+ |
| Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
The Minnesota Wild continue their three-game road trip when they travel to Las Vegas to take on the Golden Knights in Thursday's NHL action.
After a rough start to the season, Vegas has seemed to find its footing again. The Golden Knights enter this matchup with an overall record of 7-6-0, having won six of their last eight games in what has been an impressive run.
The Wild have also put together a solid last few weeks. Minnesota boasts a 9-3-0 record, and has yet to lose a game in the month of November.
This game is the back end of a back-to-back set for Minnesota after a relatively easy win against Arizona on Wednesday. Will it be able to keep its hot streak going or will a more rested Vegas team defend its home ice?
Minnesota Wild
Minnesota's scorching start to the month of November has been rather impressive. Once again, the Wild put on an offensive clinic against Arizona and another offensive performance like that is in the cards in this matchup.
Right from the jump, it was obvious that Minnesota would coast to the win against the Coyotes. The Wild scored two goals in the first nine minutes, following that up by scoring two more goals in the opening three minutes of the second period on their way to a 5-2 victory.
That has pretty much been the theme for the Wild recently, who have now won four consecutive games, and scored exactly five goals in all four of those contests.
Minnesota now finds itself inside the top five in 5-on-5 in xGF/60 minutes and is just outside the top 10 in total goals scored. This is an offense that has been on a roll recently, and they get a favorable matchup against a Vegas team that has been vulnerable on defense as previously mentioned.
Cam Talbot was able to rest Wednesday, which means he will likely start in goal . In 5-on-5 this season, Talbot has an SV % of .909 and -2.5 Goals Saved Above Expected.
Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights are beginning to look like the team we have become accustomed to seeing over the last few seasons.
This group struggled mightily to score early on, partially because it suffered a few injuries. Vegas scored a total of 10 goals through its first five games, all while allowing its opponents to find the back of the net a total of 19 times.
However, this team has completely flipped the script on offense, which will be key for this matchup.
The Vegas offense is officially back on track, scoring 21 total goals over its last six games. This squad is now ranked third overall in the NHL with 26 total goals in 5-on-5 situations, sitting just outside the top 10 in xGF/60 in 5-on-5 with 2.44, which are metrics that show it's trending in the right direction.
However, Vegas still hasn't figured it out of the defensive end of the ice. In 5-on-5 situations, this team is 32nd in Expected Goals Against per 60 minutes; 31st in High-Danger Chances Against per 60 minutes; and, allowed a total of 28 goals (fifth most in the league). Minnesota will likely find several opportunities to score the puck, even with the back-to-back coming into play.
Robin Lehner will get the start in this matchup. Just like the rest of his team, Lehner got off to a slow start, but has since rebounded quite nicely. In 5-on-5 this season, he has an SV % of .921 and 7.1 Goals Saved Above Expected, the fifth highest mark overall.
Wild vs. Golden Knights Pick
This matchup features teams that have found a lot of momentum on offense over the course of the last week or so, and that should continue into this game.
Vegas has been vulnerable on defense all year, and given that Minnesota is not as fresh, I think we will see both squads take advantage of the situation that's presented to them.
The Wild have had a total of at least seven goals in each of their last four games, and the Golden Knights have seen a total of at least six goals in four of their last five outings. The total of 5.5 goals is a number that's certainly in play.
Pick: Total Over 5.5 (-115)
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