Vegas Golden Knights vs. Utah Mammoth 2026 NHL Playoffs Series Preview, Picks, Odds

By Kody Malstrom | Apr 17, 2026, 2:40pm

After winning their last three games in a row, the Vegas Golden Knights were able to hold off the Edmonton Oilers for the Pacific division title. With the division title sitting on their mantle, the Golden Knights now turn their sights towards the Stanley Cup, looking to make their second trip to the finals in a span of five years.

Kicking off their run to the Stanley Cup is a first round matchup against Utah, drawing a Mammoth team who have shockingly been productive on both sides of the ice. With Utah’s goaltending showing signs of regression, expect the Golden Knights to exploit their struggles in net and move on to the second round.

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Utah Mammoth Series Betting Analysis

While the Colorado Avalanche have hogged the spotlight, the Vegas Golden Knights have rivaled them in most defensive metrics, fielding a back line who ranks second overall in Expected Goals Against in All Situations. Their elite coverage forces their opponents into taking low quality Shots on Goal for the full duration of the contest, making it easier to hold them off the scoreboard.

Especially with Akira Schmid consistently walling them off, averaging just 2.59 Goals Against per game. Even with his current mark in Save Percentage indicating negative regression is looming large, the coverage he receives from his back line helps brush it to the side.

Heading into the playoffs, the Golden Knights back line will need to continue to play at a high level as they face off against the Utah Mammoth who have quietly snuck into the top-15 in Expected Goals For. Their versatility has helped spark their recent turnaround, starting six players who average more than 0.25 Expected Goals per game.

On the other end, the Golden Knights front line have been productive, ranking in the top-12 in Expected Goals For in All Situations and in 5-on-5 Play. With Karel Vejmelka plummeting down the board in average Goals Against per game and in Save Percentage, the Golden Knights will be able to exploit his struggles in net and set a scoring pace too fast for the Mammoth to keep up with.

With Utah incapable of matching the Golden Knights output, they will find themselves too deep into a hole for them to climb out of. While their balanced play will help them snag a game or two, the Golden Knights advantages on both sides of the ice will prove to be too much, resulting in a lopsided series.

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Utah Mammoth Series Prediction, Pick & Best Bet

The Golden Knights to cover the -1.5 series spread is the series best bet.

Best Bet: Golden Knights -1.5 (+115)
Series Prediction: Golden Knights 4-2 (+400)

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Utah Mammoth Series Schedule

Sun., Apr. 19 – Utah at Vegas, Game 1 – 10:00 p.m./ESPN
Tue., Apr. 21 – Utah at Vegas, Game 2 – 9:30 p.m./ESPN2
Fri., Apr. 24 – Vegas at Utah, Game 3 – 9:30 p.m./TBS
Mon., Apr. 27 – Vegas at Utah, Game 4 – TBD/ESPN
Wed., Apr. 29 – Utah at Vegas, Game 5 if nec. – TBD
Fri., May 1 – Vegas at Utah, Game 6 if nec. – TBD
Sun., May 3 – Utah at Vegas, Game 7 if nec. – TBD

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Utah Mammoth Series Odds

Series Winner

Golden Knights (-190)
Mammoth (+155)

Series Spread

Golden Knights +1.5 (-340)
Golden Knights -1.5 (+115)
Golden Knights +2.5 (-900)
Golden Knights -2.5 (+225)
Mammoth +1.5 (-135)
Mammoth -1.5 (+270)
Mammoth +2.5 (-275)
Mammoth -2.5 (+600)

Total Games

4 Games (+550)
5 Games (+255)
6 Games (+210)
7 Games (+215)

Series Score

Golden Knights 4-0 (+800)
Golden Knights 4-1 (+400)
Golden Knights 4-2 (+400)
Golden Knights 4-3 (+400)
Mammoth 4-0 (+2000)
Mammoth 4-1 (+1000)
Mammoth 4-2 (+600)
Mammoth 4-3 (+600)

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Utah Mammoth Series Betting Resources

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Utah Mammoth Series Players to Watch

Vegas Golden Knights

Jack Eichel – Season Stats: 27 goals, 63 assists, +23
Mitch Marner – Season Stats: 24 goals, 56 assists, +17
Akira Schmid – Season Stats: 16-10-6, 2.59 GAA, .893 SV%

Utah Mammoth

Clayton Keller – Season Stats: 26 goals, 62 assists, +21
Dylan Guenther – Season Stats: 40 goals, 33 assists, +7
Karel Vejmelka – Season Stats: 38-20-3, 2.75 GAA, .897 SV%

Photo Credit: AP/John Locher

Kody Malstrom

Kody is a professional sports bettor and sports betting journalist with eight years of experience in the industry. He covers a wide range of sports, including NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NCAAB, NHL, MLB, and UFC. What started as a side gig has turned into a full time job, spending a majority of his time staring at odds screens and market movement. When away from the computer, Kody enjoys spending his time outdoors relaxing at the beach or golfing with friends.