Minnesota Wild vs Vegas Golden Knights Picks and Predictions December 15th 2024

Minnesota Wild vs Vegas Golden Knights December 15th 2024

Making on a bet on this NHL game featuring the Golden Knights versus the Wild? The puck drops at 6:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on NHLN. The game will be played at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. The over/under goal line for this matchup is currently at 6 goals, and the Wild are -1.5 goal favorite to win at home against the Golden Knights.

Vegas vs. Minnesota Key Information

• Teams: Golden Knights at Wild
• Where: Xcel Energy Center St. Paul
• Date: Sunday, December 15th
• Betting Odds MIN -130 | VEG +109 O/U 6

The Golden Knights Can Win If…

With a 4-3 overtime win against the Utah Hockey Club, the Golden Knights improved to 19-8-3. Vegas, favored by -1.5 goals, failed to cover the puck line. The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, and the combined 7 goals surpassed that mark.

Vegas trailed 2-0 before Pavel Dorofeyev scored at 15:06 in the second period. They tied it up with just one second left in the second, and Brett Howden’s goal at 2:15 in overtime sealed the win.

In their latest game, the Golden Knights took 35 shots on goal and scored four times, with Brett Howden netting his 6th goal of the season in overtime. William Karlsson added his 2nd goal of the year, while Noah Hanifin, who scored his 2nd goal, also picked up two assists, bringing his total to 5 assists this season.

Pavel Dorofeyev opened the scoring for Vegas with his 7th goal. The Golden Knights had 13 giveaways and were held scoreless in the first period before finding the net twice in the second, once in the third, and again in overtime.

Defensively, the Golden Knights will look to bounce back after allowing the first two goals and a late equalizer against Utah. Adin Hill finished with 16 saves and an 84.2% save percentage, while the defense added 10 takeaways and 22 hits.

• Vegas has put together a record of 2-1 over their past three games. The team has also been excellent vs the spread, going 2-1. Their over-under record in these games was 1-2.
• Over their last ten regular season games, the Golden Knights have gone 7-3 straight up. This includes going 7-3 vs. the puck line along with an over-under mark of 4-6.

The Wild Can Win If…

With a 2-1 overtime win against the Maple Leafs, the Wild improved to 20-6-4 this season. Minnesota was favored on the puck line, but failed to cover. The total for the game was set at 6 goals, but the teams combined for just 3.

Ryan Hartman opened the scoring for the Wild in the first period, but the Maple Leafs tied it up with just 52 seconds left in the period. Matt Boldy netted the game-winner at 2:14 in overtime.

Ryan Hartman netted his third goal of the season for the Wild, scoring at 9:41 in the first period. Matt Boldy added his sixth goal, securing the 2-1 win with a goal 2:14 into overtime.

Jared Spurgeon picked up two assists, bringing his season total to three. The Wild took 33 shots on goal but gave away the puck 15 times.

Defensively, the Wild will look to carry over their performance from their previous game, where they allowed just one goal to the Maple Leafs. Filip Gustavsson finished with 27 saves and a 96.4% save percentage. The Wild also recorded 7 takeaways and 22 hits.

• Over their last three games, the Wild have gone 2-1 straight up. This also includes going 2-1 puck line and an over-under mark of 2-1.
• The Wild have gone 7-3 over their last ten regular season games. In these contests, the team went just 3-7 against the spread, while going 3-7 on the over-under.

The Lean

When making a moneyline pick, my choice is the Wild to come out with a win against the Golden Knights while playing at home. Considering the moneyline odds at -130, I’m placing my bet on the Wild to win outright.

For a puck line prediction, our preference is the Wild to secure a win and cover. Anticipate the Wild to win this one by multiple goals over the Golden Knights.

With an over/under line sitting at 6 goals, we like this game to surpass that mark and recommend getting a bet down on the over.

Kaprizov Looks to Propel Wild Past Golden Knights

The Minnesota Wild (14-10-2) host the Vegas Golden Knights (19-8-3) on Sunday evening in Saint Paul, Minn., as both teams face a quick turnaround after playing Saturday. The Wild, led by star forward Kirill Kaprizov, are seeking their second consecutive victory, while the Golden Knights look to bounce back from a tough loss.

Kaprizov’s Consistency Fuels the Wild

Kirill Kaprizov has been the cornerstone of Minnesota’s offense, and his relentless work ethic is paying dividends. After scoring twice in Saturday’s 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, Kaprizov leads the Wild with 20 goals this season.

Head coach John Hynes has lauded Kaprizov’s consistency and leadership:
“The level of consistency that he’s playing with at a high level night in and night out has been really impressive. To have him playing at the level he’s playing at, it helps drive the team.”

Minnesota will lean on Kaprizov’s offensive spark as they navigate a potentially uncertain goaltending situation. The Wild recalled Jesper Wallstedt from their AHL affiliate on an emergency basis, indicating that either Filip Gustavsson or Marc-Andre Fleury might be unavailable for Sunday’s contest.

Wallstedt, 22, has limited NHL experience but showed flashes of potential in three games last season. If called upon, this would mark Wallstedt’s first career appearance against the Golden Knights.

Golden Knights Look to Regroup

Vegas is coming off a 6-3 road loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, snapping their four-game winning streak. Despite the defeat, forward Ivan Barbashev views the quick turnaround as an opportunity to reset:
“It’s like a little wake-up call. We’ve just got to get back to our normal game, regroup on the flight to Minny, and try to go out there and play better.”

The Golden Knights may turn to Ilya Samsonov in goal after Adin Hill allowed six goals on 34 shots against Edmonton. Samsonov, who has a 6-3-1 record with a 3.16 goals-against average and an .896 save percentage this season, boasts a 2-0-0 career record against Minnesota.

Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy emphasized the importance of attacking the Wild’s defense:
“They’re a good defensive team, so if you can be strong on pucks down low, get to the interior ice — you’re going to have to do that.”

Keys to the Game

Minnesota Wild:

• Kaprizov’s Offensive Firepower: Continue to rely on Kaprizov’s ability to create scoring opportunities and finish plays.
• Goaltending Clarity: If Wallstedt starts, provide strong defensive support to ease the pressure on the young netminder.
• Sustain Energy: Playing on back-to-back nights, Minnesota must maintain intensity for a full 60 minutes.

Vegas Golden Knights:

• Strong Start: Shake off Saturday’s loss by setting the tone early and establishing control in the offensive zone.
• Goaltender Rebound: Samsonov needs to provide stability in net to keep the Wild’s potent offense at bay.
• Battle for the Interior: Generate high-danger chances by crashing the net and controlling play in front of the crease.

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Matchup Outlook

The Wild, riding the momentum of their win over Philadelphia, will lean on Kaprizov’s scoring touch and a determined defensive effort to secure a home victory. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights aim to rediscover their winning formula by exploiting Minnesota’s goaltending uncertainty and generating consistent offensive pressure.

This Western Conference showdown promises intensity and intrigue as both teams look to assert themselves in a tightly contested playoff race.