Faceoff is scheduled for 10:00 PM ET (7:00 PM PT local)
Venue: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, Washington (home of the Kraken; capacity ~18,100)
Broadcast: ESPN+ (U.S.); KHN/Prime, KONG, SCRIPPS (local/regional); available via NHL streams internationally.
This Pacific Division late-season clash features a surging Vegas squad on a four-game win streak under new head coach John Tortorella, battling for top positioning in the division, against a scuffling Seattle team that has dropped four straight and sits well outside playoff contention. The Golden Knights have found new life on the road, while the Kraken are playing out the string at home with defensive and goaltending questions.
Recent Team Forms (Last 5–10 Games)
Golden Knights (4-1-0 or better in last 5 under Tortorella; W4 streak):
Apr 7: W 2-1 @ Vancouver Canucks (Cole Smith GWG)
Apr 5: W 5-1 @ Edmonton Oilers
Apr 3/2: W vs. Calgary Flames (6-3) and additional road wins contributing to the streak.
Vegas has tightened defensively while maintaining offensive balance, outscoring opponents significantly in recent victories.
Kraken (1-4-0 or worse in last 5; L4 skid):
Apr 7: L 2-5 vs. Minnesota Wild
Apr 6: L 2-6 vs. Winnipeg Jets
Apr 4: L 2-4 vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Apr 2: L 2-6 vs. Utah Mammoth
Seattle has been leaky defensively (allowing 21 goals in last 4 games) and struggled to generate consistent offense.
Injury Report
Golden Knights (key forward absence):
William Karlsson (C) – Out (lower body; since early March, not expected back for playoffs)
Kraken (goaltending and forward depth concerns):
Philipp Grubauer (G) – Day-to-day (lower body)
Shane Wright (C) – Day-to-day (upper body)
Max McCormick (LW) – Out for season (hip)
Vegas is otherwise relatively healthy; Seattle’s goaltending rotation could be impacted if Grubauer is unavailable, forcing heavier reliance on backups.
Key Player Matchups
Top-Line Forwards: Jack Eichel & Mark Stone / Ivan Barbashev (VGK – multi-point contributors in recent wins) vs. Jared McCann & Chandler Stephenson / emerging young pieces (SEA). Eichel has been a catalyst under the new coaching staff.
Veteran/Secondary Scoring: Mitch Marner (recent hot streak with Vegas) & Brett Howden vs. Shane Wright (if active) or secondary options like Oliver Bjorkstrand.
Goaltending: Carter Hart (VGK, strong .876+ SV% in recent starts) vs. Joey Daccord or backup (SEA; Grubauer questionable). Hart has stabilized Vegas’ net.
Defense/Secondary: Vegas leans on the physicality of players like Jeremy Lauzon and Rasmus Andersson; Seattle will counter with speed but faces depth challenges on the blue line. Special teams favor Vegas lately.
Series History
2025-26 Season: Vegas holds the edge in the season series (specific results show Golden Knights winning the majority of matchups, including recent road success).
All-Time: Vegas dominates historically (Kraken are 5-11-1 lifetime vs. VGK). Seattle has struggled to contain Vegas’ speed and structure in recent seasons.
Betting Trends
Vegas is 4-0-0 SU and strong ATS during the current streak; Kraken are 1-4 SU and poor ATS lately (especially as home dogs). Overs have hit in several Kraken home games due to defensive lapses, but Vegas’ recent defensive improvement points to a tighter contest. Golden Knights perform well on the road against non-playoff teams.
Game Odds
Vegas Golden Knights 6.5
Seattle Kraken – 118
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Wednesday, April 8, 2026
