The Arizona Coyotes and the first-year-franchise Vegas Golden Knights clash at T-Mobile Arena in a Pacific Division showdown. It’s the fifth time these teams have met in the regular season. The puck drops at 10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 28, and fans at home are able to catch it live on Fox Arizona Plus.
Arizona Coyotes vs. Vegas Golden Knights Odds
Arizona (+225) is entering this one as the underdog to Vegas (-265) and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. The line for betting that total stands at -120 for the over and +100 for the under.
Netting 17.5 units for moneyline bettors, Vegas is 48-28 straight up (SU) overall thus far. Among the team’s 76 games this season, 38 have gone over the total, while 36 have gone under and just two have pushed. The team’s 27-11 SU at home this year.
The Golden Knights have converted on 22.2 percent of their power play opportunities this season, a mark that places them in the top-10 among NHL teams. On the other hand, their penalty kill is rated 10th overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 81.8 percent of all penalties.
The Golden Knights, as a collective unit, have been whistled for penalties just 3.2 times per game overall this season, and 2.6 per game over their last five at home. The team has had to stave off opponent power plays for just 6.4 minutes per game over their last 10 matchups, in total.
Averaging 28.0 saves per game with a .931 save percentage, Marc-Andre Fleury (28-15-4) has been the best option in goal for Vegas this year. If head coach Gerard Gallant decides to rest him, however, Vegas might turn to Malcolm Subban (13-5-5 record, .917 save percentage, 2.51 goals against average).
The Knights will continue looking for leadership from Jonathan Marchessault and William Karlsson. Marchessault (72 points) has tallied 25 goals and 47 assists and has recorded multiple points on 20 different occasions this year. Karlsson has 40 goals and 29 assists to his name and has recorded a point in 47 contests.
On the other bench, Arizona is 26-50 straight up (SU) and has lost 16.6 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 76 regular season contests, 40 of its games have gone under the total, while 35 have gone over and just one has pushed. As the visiting team, the Coyotes are 11-26 SU.
The Coyotes have converted on just 17.1 percent of their power play opportunities this season, a figure that places them in the bottom-10 overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 17th overall and it’s successfully killed off 80.2 percent of all penalties.
Arizona’s players have been penalized only 3.4 times per game this season, and 4.4 per game over their last five on the road. The team has been forced to defend opponent power plays just 7.6 minutes per game over their last five outings.
Antti Raanta (27.1 saves per game) has been the main choice in the net for Arizona. Raanta has 19 wins, 24 losses, and six overtime losses to his credit, while registering a .927 save percentage and 2.34 goals against average this year.
For the visiting Coyotes, the offense will be coordinated by Clayton Keller (23 goals, 38 assists) and Derek Stepan (13 goals, 40 assists).
Arizona Coyotes vs. Vegas Golden Knights Betting Predictions
Prediction: SU Winner – Golden Knights, O/U – Over
Notes
Betting Trends
60.4 percent of Vegas’ wins have come by two or more goals (the team is 29-14 overall in such games) while 42.3 percent of Arizona’s wins have come by two goals or more (11-29 overall in games decided by at least two goals).
Power plays and penalty kills may be even more key than usual in tonight’s game. The Coyotes are 11-21 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 18-35 in games where they’re in the box for fewer than 10 penalty minutes, total. The Golden Knights are 18-11 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 37-18 in games where total penalty minutes are in the single digits.
Two of Vegas’ last ten games have been decided by a shootout. The team is 1-1 in those games and 3-3 overall in shootouts this season.
Vegas might have an advantage if it’s a close one late. The team’s 19-14 in games decided by one goal, while Arizona is only 15-21 in such games.
The total has gone under in each of Vegas’ last five outings.
Vegas has averaged 11.6 giveaways over its last five home games, a rise over its season average of 9.4 giveaways per game (ranked 16th overall).
Arizona skaters have averaged 7.3 giveaways per game (the fifth-fewest in the NHL).
Arizona skaters have accounted for the fifth-most hits in the league (24.2 per game), but the team’s averaged just 20.0 hits over their last five away games.
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