Vegas Golden Knights vs Detroit Red Wings Picks and Predictions for Thursday, November 5, 2026

Vegas finally won Tuesday, beating Pittsburgh 3-2. They previously dropped games to Boston and New Jersey. Now the Golden Knights (10-5-2, 2nd Pacific Division) visit Little Caesars Arena to play Detroit. The Red Wings (7-6-3, 8th Atlantic Division) lost 4-2 to Tampa Bay on Tuesday, one night after beating Florida 5-3. Both teams played twice already this week. Vegas holds a 4-2-2 road record. Detroit is 4-4-1 at home. Thursday's puck drop goes at 7:00 pm ET on ESPN+. Cash a winner with our free NHL picks.

Vegas Golden Knights Looking for Consistency

Pittsburgh couldn't close out Vegas on Tuesday. The Golden Knights escaped with a 3-2 victory. That win snapped a two-game slide featuring a 3-2 shootout loss in Boston and a 5-2 beating by New Jersey. Setbacks are piling up. Vegas beat Ottawa 4-1 but fell 2-1 in overtime to Columbus before that stretch. That leaves the Golden Knights with just two wins over their last five outings. The offense remains active. Vegas scores 3.35 goals per game while allowing 2.82. They generate 28.4 shots per night.

Jack Eichel has seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points. Mark Stone leads with 10 goals and 19 points, four on the power play. Mitch Marner has two goals alongside 16 assists. Tomas Hertl has seven goals. That offense converts 29.4% of power plays. The penalty kill is bad, sitting at 73.9%. In net, Adin Hill has six wins, a 2.73 GAA, and a .895 save percentage. Carter Hart has four wins, a 2.65 GAA, and a .893 save percentage.

Injuries: Parker Wotherspoon is on injured reserve

Detroit Red Wings Trying to Fix Their Defense

Detroit surrendered four goals to Tampa Bay on Tuesday, losing 4-2. On Monday, the offense clicked during a 5-3 road win over Florida. St. Louis beat Detroit 5-4, but the Red Wings found a 4-1 win against Chicago and a 4-3 shootout victory over Edmonton. That is three wins in five games. The problem is they gave up 19 goals during that span. Detroit scores 2.88 per game and allows 3.00. 

Alex DeBrincat has seven goals, nine assists, and 16 points. Lucas Raymond matches him with six goals and 10 assists. Viktor Arvidsson leads the team with eight goals, four on the power play. Moritz Seider has 10 assists, playing 26:11 minutes per game. Detroit hits 23.6% with the man advantage. Their penalty kill is ugly at 70.0%. John Gibson has a 3.46 GAA and an .860 save percentage. Daniil Tarasov is sharper, owning a 1.74 GAA and a .927 save percentage. 

Injuries: Albert Johansson, Dylan Larkin, Mason Appleton and Marco Kasper are out. John Gibson is day-to-day.

Key To The Game

Special Teams. Vegas hits 29.4% on power plays while Detroit kills only 70.0% of penalties. That is trouble for the Red Wings. Arvidsson and DeBrincat can hurt Vegas on the other side. The Golden Knights kill penalties at just 73.9%. Both sides score easily with the man advantage.

Vegas Golden Knights vs Detroit Red Wings Game Pick

• Vegas Golden Knights

Detroit has won three of its last five games, but look closer at the defense. The Red Wings allowed five goals to St. Louis and four to Tampa Bay. That 70.0% penalty kill is a huge liability against Vegas. Eichel has 22 points. Stone has 10 goals. Marner has 16 assists. You cannot shut those players down when short-handed. Vegas is not unbeatable. Still, the Golden Knights have the better record and score 3.35 goals per game. Take Vegas to win.

Vegas Golden Knights vs Detroit Red Wings Over/Under Pick

• Over

Thirty-seven combined goals scored in Detroit's last five games. That number pops out. The Red Wings scored five against Florida and four against St. Louis. Their defense gives away too many chances. Vegas scores 3.35 goals per game. Their power play hits at 29.4%. Detroit's penalty kill is a low 70.0%. Vegas is not safe on the penalty kill either at 73.9%. With both teams struggling on the penalty kill, look for a high-scoring outcome.