A hugely important Western Conference battle will go down Monday evening, mere hours after the NHL’s Trade Deadline came and went.
One of the most active teams in Monday’s deadline were the Minnesota Wild, who will play host to the desperate Vegas Golden Knights this evening.
The Wild are slumping of late despite boasting an impressive team of skaters, it’s been their goaltending that has let them down of late. Neither Kaapo Kahkonen or Cam Talbot have been all that solid in recent weeks, potentially explaining their big acquisition of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury at the deadline. While Fleury won’t be starting Monday against his old team, Cam Talbot will get the call in goal as he looks to desperately hang onto his starting role.
For Vegas, they enter Monday night a desperate bunch. Though they did stop the bleeding and win their most recent game, this remains a veteran club really needing to accumulate points in a tight Western Conference playoff race. The Knights enter Minnesota badly banged up and will need to coax a solid showing out of their depleted group.
With the regular season rapidly winding down, every game and point becomes essential going forward. Monday’s big-time Western Conference matchup in Minnesota remains no different. Continue reading on beneath the posted odds for added insight, trends, news, and betting analysis for Vegas vs. Minnesota. Enjoy the game, folks!
#mnwild source says the plan, as of now, is for Marc-Andre Fleury to back up Cam Talbot tonight. He's expected to arrive in the Twin Cities shortly before 5
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) March 21, 2022
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Minnesota Wild Live Odds & Betting History
*These odds are provided by BetOnline.ag
| TEAM DATA | KNIGHTS | WILD |
| Overall Record | 34-26-4 | 36-20-4 |
| ATS Record | 26-38 | 28-32 |
| Home/Away Record | 16-13-1 | 19-7-1 |
| Goals Per Game | 3.1 | 3.7 |
| Goals Against Per Game | 3.0 | 3.2 |
| Shots On Goal Per Game | 33.4 | 32.8 |
| Shooting % | 9.3 | 11.2 |
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Minnesota Wild Prediction:
The Knights will look to continue their playoff push, but enter Monday night as big underdogs. Much of that can be attributed to crucial injuries throughout their lineup, that have severely impacted the depth of this squad. Vegas will again be without Robin Lehner in goal, along with stars Max Pacioretty, Reilly Smith, and Mark Stone up front. While Jack Eichel remains in the lineup, it’s clear from his recent play that he isn’t at 100% just yet. Logan Thompson should get a second straight start in goal, though the unproven youngster doesn’t inspire much confidence.
The Wild shoot well and have done so all season long. They’ve been one of the league’s best offenses, especially at home, and will be pushed forward by the big addition of Marc-Andre Fleury at the trade deadline. Minnesota are firmly in a playoff position in the Central division, and will continue to gun for home-ice in Round One.
Minnesota are now 4-1-1 in their past six contests, and should push the pace with their impressive scoring depth. The Wild come at teams in waves, and lines 1-4 can put the puck in the net. That’s likely going to be a problem for a depleted Vegas roster to handle, as much of their current personnel have primarily played their hockey in the AHL.
Expect a healthy and hungry Wild showing on Monday night. This is a team with excellent shot metrics, and one that thrives on home ice. While Vegas stopped the bleeding their last time out, Minnesota can do a ton of things that should overwhelm this beat-up roster.
Updated list of Golden Knights current injuries:
• Jack Eichel
• Mark Stone
• Max Pacioretty
• Robin Lehner
• Reilly Smith
• Alec Martinez
• Brayden McNabb
• Nic Hague
• Ben Hutton (COVID)Pretty ridiculous.
— Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger_) March 18, 2022
Golden Knights vs. Wild Trends To Know:
- Golden Knights are 4-9 in their last 13 vs. Western Conference.
- Golden Knights are 2-5 in their last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Golden Knights are 0-5 in their last 5 road games.
- Wild are 5-2 in their last 7 Monday games.
- Wild are 7-3 in their last 10 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Home team is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
It is fairly chalky, but with all of the Vegas injuries, it’s nearly impossible to see the value in backing them. Despite the fact that Vegas remains in a very tight battle for the post-season, the Wild enter as a fully healthy side and should be primed for another big showing over a conference rival. While this line has trended away significantly from the opening price, Minnesota’s depth will be the key to securing a victory on Monday night.
