Vegas Golden Knights at Anaheim Ducks Betting Preview
28 December 2022
The Vegas Golden Knights continue their quest to return to the playoffs traveling to Anaheim to face Pacific Division rivals the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night. This is the second head-to-head matchup between these two teams this season, with Vegas winning the first game 4-0 on October 28th.
While the home team is 4-1 in the last five meetings, this game is being played at the Honda Center in Anaheim, and the Ducks might be the worst team in the NHL. We'll preview the Golden Knights vs. Ducks and have you ready for the 10 p.m. ET puck drop.
Injuries Issues A Story for Vegas
Vegas Golden Knights fans and the franchise might feel anxious when looking at the Golden Knights' injury report. Injuries were among the primary reasons Vegas didn't make the playoffs. With Jonathan Marchessault, Jack Eichel, and Shea Theodore listed on the injury report and having lost their last night 4-2 to the Los Angeles Kings, there is good reason for concern.
The Golden Knights enter Wednesday night with a 24-12-1 record, having won two of their last five games. Vegas is 1-5 in the last six games against Pacific division rivals but is 6-1 in the last seven games in Anaheim.
Chandler Stephenson leads the Golden Knights offensively with 36 points (nine goals, 27 assists). Vegas is ranked 11th in the NHL, averaging 3.3 goals per game while giving up an average of 2.8 goals (12th). Vegas' seventh-ranked powerplay (26.7%) won't be as potent with Eichel out of the lineup, while the penalty killers have room for improvement, operating at 76.1% (22nd).
Rookie of the Year candidate Logan Thompson (16-9-0, 2.68 GAA, .913 SV%) has started the previous three games for the Golden Knights. Still, with the opposition being the struggling Anaheim Ducks, Adin Hill could start for Vegas with tougher competition on the Golden Knights upcoming schedule.
The Ducks Long Season Continues
The Anaheim Ducks are having a difficult year, entering Wednesday's matchup with a 9-22-4 record and losing the last three games in a row. To make things seem a little bleaker for Anaheim, the Ducks are 10-41 in the last 51 games against Western Conference competition.
The Ducks are averaging 2.3 goals per game, ranking them 31st in the NHL, while they are ranked last in goals against, averaging 4.1 goals per game. The Ducks struggle on the powerplay, ranking 30th in the NHL (69.5%), while the penalty kill is operating at 17% and is ranked 28th.
Troy Terry (12 goals, 17 assists) and Trevor Zegras (10 goals, 15 assists) represent the bright future and the present offensive leaders for the Anaheim Ducks. Lukas Dostal (2-3-1, 3.53 GAA, .909 SV%) has played every game for the Ducks since John Gibson (5-14-3, 3.99 GAA, .896SV%) joined back-up goalie Anthony Stolarz (2-5-0, 4.02 GAA, 889 .SV%) on the injured reserve list. As the last goalie standing in Anaheim, we expect Dostal to start for the Ducks.
Vegas' Injuries Will Help The Ducks Pull Off The Upset
The Anaheim Ducks are statistically among the worst teams in the league, but we expect them to take advantage of the injury-depleted Vegas Golden Knights. The Dunkel Index pick is to take the Anaheim Ducks to win in a close game. The favorite is 18-3 in the last 21 meetings between Vegas and Anaheim, and the Golden Knights might be the betting favorite but are playing on back-to-back nights and without a full deck. Take the Anaheim Ducks.
Keep up with your latest NHL news coverage and betting pick previews at The Dunkel Index.
All Media on this page by Associated Press.
