The NHL playoffs are heating up as the Vegas Golden Knights get ready to host the Minnesota Wild in Game 1 of their first-round series today. Vegas comes in as the heavy favorite after dominating Minnesota all season long, winning all three matchups.
Jack Eichel has been absolutely on fire for Vegas this year. The star center put up the best numbers of his career, leading both teams in points (94) and goals (66).
Vegas is expected to win this one at home. The odds makers have them at -206, meaning you’d need to bet $206 just to win $100. Minnesota’s sitting as the underdog at +170.
The teams are expected to keep scoring relatively tight, with the over/under set at 5.5 goals.
Here’s what the stats and predictions are telling us about three key players to watch:
Alex Pietrangelo is looking good to get at least 2 shots on goal. The Vegas defenseman averages 1.73 shots per game and leads the team in ice time.
Despite his incredible season, Jack Eichel might have a quiet night. He’s gone without a point in four of his last five games – though he did torch Minnesota earlier this year with a hat trick in one game.
For the Wild, Ryan Hartman could be the surprise factor. The fourth-line player isn’t a big scorer, but he loves to shoot. He’s averaging 2.3 shots per game and has been even more aggressive lately, putting up 2.4 shots per game in his last five road matches.
These three player predictions combined would pay out at +1183 if you’re feeling lucky. But as any hockey fan knows, playoff hockey is a whole different animal.
The puck drops today in what should be an intense playoff opener in Vegas. Will Eichel continue his dominance over Minnesota? Or can the Wild pull off the upset?
