NHL best bets: Wild vs. Golden Knights odds, preview, prediction for Friday 4/12

Wild vs. Golden Knights Odds

Friday, April 12, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Odds via bet365. Get up-to-the-minute NHL odds here.

Minnesota Wild

Vegas is in danger of missing the playoffs, but for the Wild, their fate has already been decided. Minnesota gave it a good run and certainly had its moments this season, but even if the Wild win their final four games and Vegas goes 0-4-0, Minnesota would still be one point behind. Things could have been different if the Wild had a stronger finish, but they've gone 3-4-2 over their last nine — not nearly good enough for a team that was playing catch-up.

Even with the Wild slipping, Kirill Kaprizov has factored on the scoresheet for eight straight games, totaling six goals and 13 points in that span. It wouldn't be surprising to see Kaprizov maintain that hot streak Friday, especially after collecting a goal and three points over his previous two appearances versus Vegas.

Matt Boldy has supplied three goals and eight points over his last eight games while Mats Zuccarello has collected six assists across his past four outings, so Kaprizov isn't completely alone in his contributions. However, no other Wild forward has more than three points over the past nine contests and the team has consequently averaged just 2.33 goals per game in that span.

It will be difficult for the team to find its scoring touch Friday because Zuccarello will miss the game for personal reasons, removing one of the few effective offensive threats it had.

The Wild also might have trouble in their own end with Marc-Andre Fleury set to start. Fleury has had an amazing career, but the 39-year-old has been mediocre at best this season, with a 17-13-5 record, 2.87 GAA and .899 save percentage in 38 games. He's trending in the wrong direction too, allowing 16 goals on 100 shots over his past four outings. And if you think he might step up against his former team, Fleury is just 1-2-0 with a 3.43 GAA and a .906 save percentage in three career contests versus Vegas, so he's been far from a boogeyman for the Golden Knights.

Vegas Golden Knights

Clearly, there are a lot of factors working in Vegas' favor thanks to the Wild's shortcomings, but the Golden Knights still need to capitalize. For starters, Vegas needs better goaltending Friday night. The Golden Knights have allowed 16 markers over their three-game losing streak. Adin Hill returned from a lower-body injury Wednesday, but he didn't help, instead allowing five goals on 25 shots against an Oilers squad that was missing Connor McDavid.

Perhaps a contest against the Wild's struggling offense is what they need, though. Logan Thompson seemed to find the Wild to be an agreeable assignment March 30 when he stopped 32 of 33 shots en route to a 2-1 overtime win. Given Hill struggled in his return, it wouldn't be surprising to see Thompson get the nod against Minnesota again.

It also helps that the Golden Knights are returning home. Vegas' recent three defeats have come on the road, and its travels have been an issue all season. The Golden Knights have a 15-14-5 away record compared to a 21-11-2 standing in Vegas.

The Golden Knights also might get Alex Pietrangelo back after he skipped the team's road trip due to an illness. The 34-year-old is a huge part of their defense, so his return would naturally be a big boost. Speaking of players' health, Tomáš Hertl couldn't debut with the team until Monday because of a knee injury. He was limited to an assist and a minus-3 rating over his first two contests with his new squad, but now that he's got some time to settle in, the Golden Knights might start seeing more production out of him.

There are reasons for cautious optimism for Vegas.

Wild vs. Golden Knights

Betting Pick & Prediction

Oddsmakers are more than just a little optimistic, though. Vegas is being treated as a heavy favorite, to the point where taking the Golden Knights on the moneyline doesn't offer an appealing return. You do still have the option of taking Vegas on the puck line, where the spread is 1.5 goals in favor of Minnesota, but the Golden Knights' recent struggles give me pause.

Instead, I recommend splitting the difference by selecting Vegas on the 60 Min Moneyline. In that scenario, Vegas doesn't have to beat the spread, but the Golden Knights need to win without going to overtime. Still, adding on that extra condition makes the potential payout significantly better.

Pick: Golden Knights 60 Min Moneyline (-110 via FanDuel | Play to -120)