Vegas Golden Knights vs. Utah Mammoth Game 3 Preview, Picks & Odds for Friday, April 24, 2026

By Kody Malstrom | Apr 23, 2026, 7:20pm

From start to finish, the Utah Mammoth thoroughly outplayed the Vegas Golden Knights on both sides of the ice, generating more Expected Goals in their 3-2 win in game two. With their win, the Mammoth are now in a great position to apply some pressure to the Golden Knights, hosting them in game three.

If the Mammoth are going to want to build on their momentum then their offense must continue to find a way to break through the Golden Knights elite coverage. A tough ask for a unit who ranks in the middle of the pack in Expected Goals For, lacking the versatility that is needed to keep them scrambling. Expect game three to be another defensive slugfest with the score staying under the listed total.

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Utah Mammoth Betting Analysis

After beating Utah in game one, the Vegas Golden Knights looked every bit the part of a team capable of rivaling the Colorado Avalanche for the Western Conference Championship. That was until game two, falling hard back down to reality with the Mammoth skating circles around them, beating them in Expected Goals 3.22-2.13.

An uncharacteristically poor performance from the Golden Knights back line, a unit who ranks second overall in Expected Goals Against in All Situations and in 5-on-5 Play. With the Mammoth scrambling their coverage, the quality of their Shots on Goal improved, making Carter Hart vulnerable to getting beat while scrambling across the crease.

On the other end, the Mammoth back line have quietly been able to climb up to the top half of the board in Expected Goals Against, ranking in the top-10 in Expected Goals Against in 5-on-5 Play. With their defense smothering the Golden Knights front line, they were able to hold them off the board, increasing their chances of winning.

Speaking of the Golden Knights front line, they have fallen into a cold stretch of play over the past few weeks, falling down to the middle of the board in Expected Goals For. Outside of their top-2 lines, the Golden Knights production takes a nosedive, making them prone to prolonged scoring lulls which brings in a higher amount of variance into their contests.

With both back lines playing at a very high level, expect their defenses to continue to take advantage of their lack of offensive production and turn game three into an ugly defensive slugfest. If the full game total drops down to 5.5 across all sportsbooks, then reduce the size of your wager.

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

Best Bet: Under 6 (-115)
Score Prediction: Golden Knights 3, Mammoth 2

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Utah Mammoth Game Odds

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Utah Mammoth Game Information

Date: Friday, April 24, 2026
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Network: TBS
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Venue: Delta Center – 6.4 goals per game; 22-17-2 O/U
Series Score: Tied 1-1

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Utah Mammoth Betting Resources

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Utah Mammoth Key Players

Vegas Golden Knights

Jack Eichel – Last Game: (0 Goals, 2 Assists, 1 Shots on Goal)
Mark Stone – Last Game: (1 Goal, 0 Assist, 2 Shots on Goal)
Carter Hart – Last Game: (3 Goals Against, 27 Saves)

Utah Mammoth

Clayton Keller – Last Game: (0 Goals, 0 Assists, 1 Shots on Goal)
Dylan Guenther – Last Game: (1 Goal, 1 Assist, 5 Shots on Goal)
Karel Vejmelka – Last Game: (2 Goals Against, 19 Saves)

Photo Credit: AP/Ian Maule

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.