Blackhawks vs. Golden Knights Prediction
| Blackhawks Odds | +325 |
| Golden Knights Odds | -425 |
| Over / Under | 6 -110o / -110u |
Here's everything you need to know about the Chicago Blackhawks vs. Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, April 16 – our expert NHL prediction and pick.
Blackhawks vs. Golden Knights odds have Vegas as a -350 favorite on the moneyline, while the over/under is set at 6 goals. With such a massive price tag on the favorites, we have to get creative in how we will back the Knights in this contest.
We will head to the player prop market and make a Blackhawks vs. Golden Knights prediction and pick for Tuesday.
Chicago Blackhawks
Goaltender Arvid Söderblom is slated to take the crease for Chicago on Tuesday, and he should be a good fade candidate. It has been a terrible season for the Hawks' netminder, who has posted a 5-22-1 record with a .880 SV% and 3.88 GAA through 31 appearances between the pipes.
In terms of total numbers, those are among the worst in the league this season across the board. Söderblom also enters this contest in particularly poor form, allowing four or more goals in six of his past nine outings.
These woes are likely to continue against Vegas, a team he is 0-2 against in his career with a troubling .833 SV% and 4.05 GAA. Now, to be less harsh on Söderblom, he plays behind one of the worst blue lines in the league.
Bleeding high-danger scoring chances at a high rate, the Blackhawks rank 27th in expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGA/60). With this combination of bad defense and goaltending, it is not shocking that they rank in the bottom seven of the league in goals allowed per game, shots on goal allowed per game and penalty-kill percentage.
Vegas Golden Knights
Speaking of special teams, Vegas forward William Karlsson ranks third on the team in power-play goals this season — not that he can't score at even strength, given he also ranks second on the the Knights in goals with 30.
Karlsson enters this contest in particularly good form, scoring five goals over his past six games. On Tuesday, we are going to back him to find the net once again in a matchup against an opponent Karlsson has torched recently.
These teams have only squared off twice this season, but Karlsson has scored in each of those two outings. Söderblom was in net for the first of those two meetings, and given how easy it has been to beat him this season, I wouldn't be shocked if Karlsson lights the lamp once again.
Blackhawks vs. Golden Knights
Betting Pick & Prediction
With Vegas' odds set at -350 and its puck line at -130 in a game where the total is six, we can presumably expect four or more goals from the Knights in this outing. That is more than doable, given they are averaging over four goals per game over their past six.
On the other hand, Chicago has allowed four or more goals in each of its past four games, while Söderblom has allowed four or more in six of his past nine appearances in the crease. If Vegas is to score four or more once again, I wouldn't be shocked if Karlsson is involved, especially considering his recent form and track record against both Söderblom and the Hawks.
Pick: William Karlsson Anytime Goalscorer (+155 at BetRivers | Play to +150)
