Chicago Blackhawks vs Vegas Golden Knights Prediction: Chicago doesn't have the most reliable defense in the league

Prediction for the NHL Chicago Blackhawks vs Vegas Golden Knights match, which will take place on February 22. Check the team conditions and choose several betting options.

Chicago continues to perform as a hopeless NHL outsider going into a deep rebuild and won't have any serious challenges for the foreseeable future. The Hawks will likely be without their leading stars very soon, so for them, the remaining home games for the club are a particular thing, as they have repeatedly said. The day before, Patrick Kane completed a hat trick in a battle with Toronto, which brought the Red and Black to a sensational 5:3 victory. Despite this local success, Chicago remains in penultimate place in the Western Conference standings, ahead of only Anaheim.

Vegas is a much more severe team, which last season, for the first time in its history, did not make the playoffs, but now has done the work on the mistakes, claiming the Stanley Cup. The Knights have a very serious gang led by the experienced Bruce Cassidy. This alliance began to produce results from the very beginning of the regular season, as the Black and Gold immediately made their way to the top of the Western Conference, where they currently reside. They've been down the line or two in the standings, but they've won five straight in their last five games, allowing them to return to the top spot.

Chicago is the penultimate team in the standings in the West, while Vegas is the conference leader. This information alone makes the Knights the clear favorites for the upcoming game. Bruce Cassidy's wards approach this game in great shape as they won their last five games without fail every time in regulation time. The Hawks can't boast anything similar. Moreover, in a head-to-head rivalry, they scored only 4 out of 19 face-offs (21%). As a result, we have to bet on Vegas winning with a handicap (-1.5).

Vegas has recently gained such good form that they beat everyone in their path and are also excellent on offense. In the previous five meetings, Bruce Cassidy's charges have scored a combined 24 goals (4.80 average per game). Chicago does not have the most reliable defense in the league to contain such a powerful offense, so the best option for the prediction seems to be an individual total of Vegas over 4.5 pucks. It is worth betting on the total over 0.5 points of William Karlsson.