Adam Williams presents his prediction for the Stanley Cup match.
The play-offs opened with a confident home win for the Vegas Golden Knights, who defeated the Minnesota Wild 4:2, putting themselves in a strong position to build momentum in the series. For the Minnesota Wild, this marked their tenth straight game without a win in regulation time — a concerning trend against such a high-calibre opponent.
Vegas Golden Knights
In the regular season, the Golden Knights secured second place in the Western Conference, demonstrating strength both in attack and defence. They ranked sixth in total goals scored (271) and allowed just 218 goals, the fifth-best defensive record in the league. The squad also led the NHL in power play efficiency, converting at a rate of 29%, and made the most of the man advantage twice in the opening game. Their head-to-head form against the Minnesota Wild has been dominant as well — six consecutive victories and a total of 24 goals scored in those meetings.
Minnesota Wild
The Wild struggled towards the end of the regular season, suffering defeat in eight of their final ten road games. The team relies heavily on Kirill Kaprizov, who returned from injury to provide two assists in the recent clash with the Vegas Golden Knights. However, this contribution was not enough to offset their defensive frailties — they rank among the league’s bottom three in penalty kill efficiency, with a success rate below 75%. Offensively, the Wild have also underperformed, averaging just two goals per game over their last 11 away fixtures.
Vegas Golden Knights vs Minnesota Wild Prediction
The Vegas Golden Knights produced a well-rounded display in the opening match. They converted both power play opportunities and have scored at least three goals in each of their last eight home games against the Minnesota Wild. The visitors do not appear capable of offering significant resistance. The Vegas Golden Knights are expected to avoid defeat in regulation and to score at least three goals.
