The Stanley Cup Playoffs commenced on Saturday with exciting Western Conference matchups and continue on Sunday as the Vegas Golden Knights, champions of the Pacific Division, host the Minnesota Wild for Game 1. Earlier this season, Vegas demonstrated dominance over Minnesota, securing victories in all three regular-season encounters, each win achieved in regulation time. Jack Eichel, the star center for Vegas, enters this series after a career-best season in points and goals, leading both the Wild and Golden Knights in these offensive categories.
Entering the game as home favorites, the Golden Knights are listed at -206 on the money line, meaning a $206 bet is needed to win $100, according to consensus odds. The Wild are the underdogs at +170. The game`s over/under is set at 5.5 goals, with both the over and under carrying a -110 price.
Advanced statistical models, simulating each NHL game 10,000 times, provide top-rated prop bet recommendations for every game. These ratings highlight strong opportunities across various player props, crucial for building successful parlays or same-game parlays on different betting platforms.
Here are the model`s top three player prop picks for Sunday`s Wild versus Golden Knights game, detailing the potential payout if combined into a same-game parlay:
Wild-Golden Knights SGP (+1183)
- Alex Pietrangelo Over 1.5 shots on goal (+122): 4.5 stars
- Jack Eichel Under 0.5 points (+200): 4 stars
- Ryan Hartman Over 1.5 shots on goal (-108): 4 stars
The model`s highest-rated picks for this game feature plus-money odds on Pietrangelo`s shot prop and Eichel`s point prop. Pietrangelo, a key defenseman, logs the most average ice time for Vegas skaters, while Eichel leads all Vegas forwards in this metric, highlighting their crucial roles under Coach Bruce Cassidy.
Despite not being known for heavy scoring, Pietrangelo has accumulated 33 points this season and ranks third among Vegas defensemen in shots, averaging 1.73 shots per game. The model predicts him to exceed 1.5 shots against the Wild, favoring the Over at +122 odds, projecting 1.9 shots.
Conversely, Eichel, Vegas`s primary offensive weapon, topped the Golden Knights with 94 points and 66 goals this season, both career highs. While he performed strongly against Minnesota in two games this year, including a hat trick in one, the model suggests taking the Under on his 0.5 points prop at +200. Eichel has gone under his points prop in four of his last five games.
For Minnesota, Hartman, a fourth-line player with 26 points in 69 games, is second on the team in shots with 158, averaging nearly 2.3 per game. The model anticipates Hartman recording 1.9 shots on goal on Sunday. In his recent road games, Hartman has surpassed his shots prop line in three of the last five, averaging 2.4 shots per game.
