Vegas vs Columbus Prediction 31 January 2025

🔊 Can the "Knights" finally break their streak of bad luck? Vegas is gradually emerging from a crisis but has found itself in a series of alternating results. Any success of the club is overshadowed by another failure. Nevertheless, the home team remains one of the leaders in the Western Conference. Columbus, on the other hand, continues to please its fans and is desperately clinging to its chances of making the playoffs.

📊 Head-to-Head

Last season, the opponents met twice and exchanged home victories. First, the "Jackets" prevailed in Ohio (6:3), and then the "Knights" returned the favor in Nevada (4:2). The most productive player in those encounters was Columbus forward Alexander Nylander. The Swede recorded his first hat-trick in his overseas career. Notably, almost immediately after this, the hockey player was traded to Toronto to join his brother William Nylander, where he lost playing time and is not included in the club's lineup.

⚫ Vegas

Bruce Cassidy's team managed to find the strength to emerge from a full-fledged crisis that occurred with the team in mid-January. In the last five matches, the "Knights" have won three times, which after numerous defeats can be considered a success. Moreover, they only remained without points once, in a matchup with Dallas (3:4). This renaissance allowed the home team to retain third place in the West, and there is reason to believe that the team will not stop there. The current selection of players across all lines allows for optimism about the future.

🔵 Columbus

The "Jackets" have stalled a bit recently. Dean Evason's team suffered three losses in their last five matches, losing first-line center Sean Monahan to injury. The club retains ninth place in the East and does not allow a significant gap from the top eight. But if they fail to secure a playoff spot by the end of February, they will inevitably become "sellers" at the trade deadline. There are players on the roster who could be a "tasty morsel" for many league teams, and none of them would refuse a potential trade to a Stanley Cup contender.

📌 Projected Lineups

Vegas: Hill - Pietrangelo, Hanifin - Barbashev, Eichel, Stone

Columbus: Merzlikins - Fabbro, Werenski - Marchenko, Fantilli, Voronkov

🥅 Goalies

Vegas goaltender Adin Hill has stopped alternating his games with partner Ilya Samsonov, and this has not benefited the Canadian. In his last three matches, he only once maintained a 90% save rate, resulting in two losses. The goaltender's contract expires this summer, and there are strong reasons to believe that he is playing his final games here.

Columbus goalie Elvis Merzlikins remains highly susceptible to emotional swings. The Latvian occasionally starts conflicts with opponents right on the ice, but this does not add to his confidence. Recently, he had a poor performance against the Islanders, saving only 88% of the "Islanders'" shots.

📝 Editorial Prediction

Most of the recent matches involving the "Jackets" have not been high-scoring. In an attempt to maintain their former pace and avoid a slump, the team is starting to adhere to a more defensive strategy. In seven of Columbus's last eight matches, no more than six goals were scored. Vegas plays in a more attacking manner, but in this case, the Nevada team will face a smart and highly effective defense, so they may well settle for less. We recommend a bet - total under 6.5 goals.