Will Vegas get their sixth win in a row?
The Golden Knights have already won five in a row – will the sixth come on Wednesday? Not only would it fulfil our prediction from a few days ago, but it would also bring them a whole lot closer to the playoffs.
They are currently in the important eighth place in the East, but the competition from Dallas or Winnipeg is hot on their heels. Every success is important, especially when it comes against a weaker team like the Canucks. So we could also call it a must-win.
The Golden Knights have already won against the same team on Sunday, and that away from home, which is why we are now also counting on a win for the Knights in their own arena. Anything else would be quite a surprise.
For Vegas vs. Vancouver, our forecast is not only a success for the men from the gambler’s paradise, but even a quite clear one. Once again, they certainly don’t want to rely on overtime and Shea Theodore.
Vegas Golden Knights – Statistics & current form
Viva Las Vegas! If we couldn’t use this term for almost the entire season, it is currently booming. All of two days the men of coach Peter DeBoer get the next success and move up in the Western Conference.
While five matchdays ago they were still outside the play-off ranks and with a high probability of missing the play-offs, that has now changed. Most experts expect them to qualify for the play-offs – including us.
Vegas one of the in-form teams
This means the Knights have found their top form at the best possible time. While direct competitors like the Predators or Jets have weakened recently, it is currently enormously difficult to be successful against Vegas. Even an interim 4:0 of the Blackhawks was not enough.
Their strong defence continues to be the main reason for this. In their last three games, they have conceded just 1.33. This means a win is practically a foregone conclusion, and we don’t expect them to concede more than two goals on Wednesday either.
So for Golden Knights vs. Canucks, the odds on the Canadians scoring under 2.5 goals are just as tenable as all possible bets on Vegas. Whether pure win bets or a handicap of up to -1.5 – depending on the desired value, these options are all recommended.
Key Players:
G: Robin Lehner
D: Dylan Coghlan
D: Alex Pietrangelo
LW: William Karlsson
C: Jack Eichel
RW: Jonathan Marchessault
Vancouver Canucks – Statistics & current form
Vancouver is out. We’re already getting carried away with this prediction with twelve games to go in the regular season, because not only are they now eight points behind the ominous eighth-place team and the Knights, but their form is also heading in the wrong direction.
They have lost seven of their last ten games and even though they managed to get into overtime on Sunday with two goals in the third period, they were still clearly inferior. Instead, they tried to counter with toughness, which was only partially successful.
Canucks top in fight
If there’s one thing we can’t fault the Canadians for, it’s their effort. In both the loss to the Blues and the Knights, they set true highs in terms of checks skated. They followed up with 27 against St. Louis with 28 against Vegas on Sunday.
So they won this category clearly with 28:9, but in the end this was also a sign of their playful inferiority. However, since they also won the face-offs with 56% to 44%, they were able to keep the game open until the end.
Vancouver inferior in many respects
However, they are behind the Golden Knights in most key stats, with their offensive woes weighing heavily. Their 1.79 goals-against average is only the 22nd best in the NHL.
Since the Golden Knights have been much better on the road lately, betting on the home team is clearly more promising for Vegas vs. In addition, the fighting mentality of the Canadians could start to weaken the more the chances of the postseason dwindle.
Key Players:
G: Thatcher Demko
D: Oliver Ekman-Larsson
D: Tyler Myers
LW: Tanner Pearson
C: J.T. Miller
RW: Conor Garland
Vegas Golden Knights – Vancouver Canucks Direct comparison / H2H-balance
The direct comparison is also clearly in favour of the Golden Knights in this matchup. Of the twelve duels that have taken place in the NHL to date, ten have gone to Vegas. The men from the players’ metropolis have also won both duels so far this season.
Another point, which is why there can only be one winner on Wednesday and Vegas thus continues to secure eighth place in the East. Only the question of the level of success is still unresolved.
We expect a clear victory for the home team, which is why a bet on Vegas -1 is our preferred betting option for Knights vs. Canucks. Even bets with a handicap of up to -2 are possible in this matchup, however.
Vegas Golden Knights – Vancouver Canucks Tip
There’s a lot to be said for the Vegas Golden Knights and even though this NHL season is always riddled with sensations, they’re known to wear off towards the end – which could apply to this game in particular.
The Canucks should still be a little demoralised from Sunday, which is why a bet on the Knights is our No.1 recommendation for Vegas against Vancouver. Especially the beginning of the game should clearly go to Vegas.
Alternatively, a bet on subpar points is also possible. Six of the last seven Canucks games saw five or fewer goals and Sunday’s clash had exactly that number at the end. Under 6.5 or Under 5.5 are also good betting options.
