Two of the league’s best at killing off power plays, the Vegas Golden Knights and the Arizona Coyotes face off at Gila River Arena. This divisional matchup will get started at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, December 30 and it’s being shown live on Sportsnet.
Vegas Golden Knights at Arizona Coyotes Odds
Vegas (-140) is currently favored over Arizona (+120) and oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. If you want to play this matchup’s total, you’ll be looking at odds of -115 money on the over and -105 for the under.
Vegas is 22-19 straight up (SU) and has lost 5.2 units for moneyline bettors this year. 19 of its games have gone over the total, while another 19 have gone under and just two have pushed. As the away team this season, the Knights are 10-13 SU.
Vegas has converted on 20.8 percent of its power play chances this year, a figure that’s right around league average. Its penalty kill is ranked eighth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 83.2 percent of its penalties.
Vegas, as a collective unit, has been called for penalties just 3.2 times per game this season, and 2.6 per game over its last five outings. The team’s been forced to kill penalties just 5.8 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Averaging 25.5 saves per game with a .908 save percentage, Marc-Andre Fleury (21-14-4) has been the top option in goal for Vegas this year. If head coach Gerard Gallant chooses to rest him, however, Vegas may go with Malcolm Subban (1-6), who has a .895 save percentage and 3.10 goals against average this year.
The visiting Golden Knights will be led by William Karlsson and Alex Tuch. Karlsson (30 points) has tallied 15 goals and 15 assists, and has recorded two or more points in six different games. Tuch has 13 goals and 16 assists to his credit (and has logged at least one point in 19 games).
On the other side of the ice, Arizona is 17-21 straight up (SU) and has lost 1.6 units for moneyline bettors this year. 19 of its games have gone under the total, while 17 have gone over and just one has pushed. The team’s 7-11 SU at home this year.
Arizona has converted on 17.2 percent of its power play chances this season, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked second overall, and it’s successfully killed off 87.4 percent of all penalties.
The Coyotes have been penalized 3.9 times per game this season, and 2.6 per game over their last five at home. The team’s had to defend opponent power plays just 6.4 minutes per game over their last five home outings.
Darcy Kuemper (27.9 saves per game) has been the primary option in goal for Arizona. Kuemper has five wins, 12 losses, and two overtime losses to his credit and has maintained a .912 save percentage and 2.77 goals against average this year.
Clayton Keller (eight goals, 20 assists) will pace the attack for the Coyotes.
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Arizona Coyotes Betting Predictions
NHL Pick: SU Winner – Golden Knights, O/U – Over
Betting Notes
- Arizona is 2-0 in games decided by a shootout this season while Vegas is 1-1 in shootouts.
- The under has hit in three of Arizona’s last five outings.
- Over Arizona’s last ten outings, four of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 1-3 in those games).
- Vegas skaters have dished out the league’s fifth-most hits per game (26.9), but that number’s down to just 20.4 hits over their last five away games.
