The Vegas Golden Knights (50-22-10) look to close out their first-round playoff series as they hold a 3-2 lead heading into Game 6 against the Minnesota Wild (45-30-7) at Xcel Energy Center on Thursday night.
After securing a tight 3-2 victory in Game 5, Vegas enters as considerable favorites with -275 moneyline odds despite being on the road against a desperate Minnesota squad.
While betting markets give the Golden Knights a 57% win probability, the Wild (+220) will lean on home ice advantage and the possibility of forcing a decisive Game 7 if they can overcome Vegas's stingy defense that has surrendered just 214 goals this season.
Minnesota Wild vs. Vegas Golden Knights prediction: who will win?
For tonight's Minnesota Wild vs Vegas Golden Knights matchup, our predictive model gives the Wild a 56.5% chance of defeating the Knights.
Minnesota Wild: 56.5% win probability
- Excellent home-ice advantage (Recent form shows WWLWW, indicating strong momentum)
- Defensive efficiency (228 goals scored vs 239 goals against shows balanced team play)
- Playoff-caliber performance (97 points in the standings, making them a legitimate contender in the Western Conference)
Vegas Golden Knights: 43.5% win probability
- Recent road struggles (WLWWL recent form shows inconsistency in their last five games)
- Defensive vulnerability (219 goals against is significantly higher than top defensive teams)
- Performance drop-off (Despite 110 points and 2nd position in standings, the team shows signs of regression heading into this matchup)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts. Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts.
Minnesota Wild vs. Vegas Golden Knights odds
Here are the latest odds for the NHL showdown between the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild, with Minnesota hosting at home on Thursday, May 01.
| Minnesota Wild | Vegas Golden Knights | |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | +143 (via Caesars Sportsbook) | -164 (via FanDuel Sportsbook) |
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Minnesota Wild vs. Vegas Golden Knights preview
The Vegas Golden Knights head to Minnesota with a commanding 3-2 series lead in this high-stakes first-round Western Conference playoff matchup.
While Vegas comes in as clear favorites after a tight 3-2 win in Game 5, the Wild will look to leverage their home ice advantage at Xcel Energy Center where they've typically performed well this season.
The Golden Knights' offensive firepower ranks 5th in the NHL with 274 goals scored this season, though they went 0-for-3 on power plays in their last outing despite generating a healthy 32 shots on goal.
Minnesota's Filip Gustavsson will need to maintain his impressive .913 career save percentage against Vegas' attack, while the Golden Knights' Adin Hill could be the difference-maker with his solid 92 quality starts throughout his NHL career.
With the Wild facing elimination, expect a desperate Minnesota team to capitalize on their 20.87% power play conversion rate while trying to force a decisive Game 7.
Key stats
- 1Vegas sits 2nd in the Western Conference with 110 points from 82 games, showing their dominant position in the standings
- 2Minnesota holds the 7th spot in the West with 97 points, making them clear playoff contenders but significantly behind Vegas in the standings
- 3The Golden Knights' recent form shows inconsistency with a WLWWL record in their last five games
- 4The Wild have been building momentum with a WWLWW record in their last five games, suggesting they're hitting form at the right time
Minnesota Wild vs. Vegas Golden Knights form
Minnesota Wild vs. Vegas Golden Knights head to head
Minnesota Wild
33%
Vegas Golden Knights
67%
Apr 30, 2025
Vegas Golden Knights
3 : 2
Minnesota Wild
Apr 26, 2025
Minnesota Wild
3 : 4
Vegas Golden Knights
Apr 25, 2025
Minnesota Wild
5 : 2
Vegas Golden Knights
Apr 23, 2025
Vegas Golden Knights
2 : 5
Minnesota Wild
Apr 21, 2025
Vegas Golden Knights
4 : 2
Minnesota Wild
Mar 26, 2025
Minnesota Wild
1 : 5
Vegas Golden Knights
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