Golden Knights vs. Wild NHL Playoffs Predictions (Thursday)
Four potential elimination games are on tap for Thursday night’s NHL Stanley Cup Playoff slate. Toronto, Vegas, and Dallas are all up 3-2 and playing their opponent on the road tonight. The Los Angeles Kings are the lone road team down 3-2 against the Edmonton Oilers, blowing a 2-0 lead by losing three straight games entering Game 6.
My NHL Best Bets from last Thursday, April 24th, wound up 2-2. Florida shut out Tampa Bay on the road for a 2-0 win, cashing their +105 moneyline odds. Then, St. Louis routed Connor Hellebuyck and the Winnipeg Jets 7-2 to cash as a home underdog with their moneyline set to -106 odds. The two losing wagers were Ottawa’s overtime loss and Vegas’ 5-2 defeat, which allowed us to come away with a small profit.
I’m back with an NHL best bet to tail in every playoff game on Thursday’s jam-packed betting board. Follow me on X at Matt_MacKay_ for more NHL free bets and weekly analysis throughout the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Here are our top picks and predictions for Golden Knights vs. Wild.
Thursday’s NHL Best Bets: Golden Knights vs. Wild
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Golden Knights vs. Wild
This Western Conference series has been much more evenly matched with Wild star F Kirill Kaprizov back in the lineup. Kaprizov leads both teams with nine points, including five goals. Wild F Matt Boldy also has netted five goals to match Kaprizov.
Vegas’ defense has been exposed by the Kaprizov-Boldy duo on Minnesota’s top attack line and powerplay unit. The Wild return home down 3-2 in this series following a 3-2 overtime loss to the Golden Knights on the road in Game 5.
This game comes down to goaltending. Golden Knights goaltender, Adin Hill, has been outplayed by the Wild’s Filip Gustavsson. Gustavsson has a .919 save percentage, compared to an .865 save percentage by Hill.
Vegas has more depth and experience. Yet they aren’t built to win in a high-scoring, back-and-forth outing. Minnesota’s first attack line is much more talented in comparison and will benefit from playing Game 6 on home ice.
The Wild are the more desperate team, while also rostering better scoring talent and goaltending. Let’s bet a unit on the Wild to win outright as home underdogs tonight at +136 odds.
Pick: Wild Moneyline (+136)
Matthew MacKay is a featured writer for BettingPros and FantasyPros. For more from Matthew, check out his archive and follow him @Matt_MacKay_.