This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
NHL Best Bets for April 3: Free NHL Picks and Props for Golden Knights vs. Wild
The Vegas Golden Knights (47-22-7) take on the Minnesota Wild (44-23-9) in the second end of a home-and-home series at XCel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. on Monday night. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET, and the game can be viewed on NHL Network.
The Golden Knights head into the Twin Cities with a lead in the Pacific Division, but it's an awfully precarious one. Vegas has 101 points, one point clear of the Los Angeles Kings, and two points clear of the third-place Edmonton Oilers. All points are crucial right now, as it could mean ending up as division champs, in second place with home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs, or third place and hitting the road for four games of the best-of-seven series in the opening round.
The Wild are in the same boat. Minnesota leads the Central Division with 97 points, one point clear of the Colorado Avalanche, although the Avs do have a game in hand. The Dallas Stars sit in third place, also with 96 points, tied with the Wild with 76 games played.
These teams just met Saturday night at The Fortress, with the Golden Knights belting the Wild 4-1 behind Laurent Brossoit.
The Wild got off to a decent start, as Matthew Boldy lit the lamp at exactly 5:00 of the first period, beating Marc-Andre Fleury. Ben Hutton and Zach Whitecloud answered for VGK, giving the home side a 2-1 lead heading to the room. Brett Howden stepped up to make it 3-1, and Chandler Stephenson struck for an empty-net goal to put a bow on the scoring.
Brossoit turned aside 29 of the 30 shots he faced, while Fleury coughed up three goals on 42 shots against his former team.
Brossoit (3-0-3, 2.44 GAA, .920 SV%) is projected to start for the visitors, while Fleury (24-14-4, 2.82 GAA, .910 SV%, 2 SO) is expected to be in between the pipes again for the home side.
Vegas hits the road, going 7-1 in the past eight games away from home, while cashing in six of the past seven against teams with a winning overall record. Vegas is also 11-5 in the past 16 games against Central Division foes.
The Wild are 16-6 in the past 22 games overall, while cashing in five of the past seven against Pacific Division teams. However, Minnesota is just 1-5 in the past six meetings with Vegas, and that's reason enough to back the visitors.
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NHL Money Line Bets for Golden Knights vs. Wild
- Golden Knights ML (+115 at Caesars)
The Over had been on a roll for the Wild, but the Under cashed in Saturday's front-end of the home-and-home set. We had four even-strength goals, and the empty-netter, with zero markers on the man advantage.
Minnesota ranks 13th on the power play, while ranking 12th on the penalty kill, both rather middling numbers. Likewise, Vegas is 16th on the PP, while ranking 19th on the PK. That's hard to believe, considering how well these teams have done in the standings.
The Over is 4-1-1 in the past six games on the road for the Golden Knights, while cashing at a 7-2-1 clip in the past 10 games despite Saturday's Under against the Wild. The Over is 15-7 in the past 22 in the second game of a home-and-home series, too.
For the Wild, the Over is 8-3-1 in the past 12 games overall, while cashing at a 5-2-1 clip in the past eight against Western Conference foes. Back the Over, but go lightly. It might take an empty-net goal to get across the finish line.
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NHL Totals Bets for Golden Knights vs. Wild
- Over 5.5 (-125 at SI)
NHL Players Props for Golden Knights vs. Wild
The player props for this Western Conference matchup have some solid value on both sides.
Stephenson scored the empty-net goal last time out, giving him a goal and four points across the past three games. He is a good value at near even-money to etch his name onto the scoresheet in some capacity Monday night.
- Chandler Stephenson Over 0.5 Points (-105 at BetMGM)
Boldy opened the scoring against Brossoit on Saturday night just five minutes into the game, and he has been on fire with 12 goals, 16 points and a plus-10 rating across the past 11 games, while picking up two points on the power play. As such, he is a decent value play on the man advantage for a chance to nearly double up.
- Matthew Boldy Over 0.5 Power-Play Points (+180 at BetMGM)
