Vegas Golden Knights vs Seattle Kraken Live Tonight (Apr 9 2026): Start Time, Odds & Playoff Implications

LAS VEGAS—The Pacific Division playoff race tightens tonight as the Vegas Golden Knights take on the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena (10 p.m. ET, ESPN+). Vegas enters the matchup at 36-26-16, clinging to the West’s final wild-card spot, while Seattle (32-34-12) hopes to keep its slim postseason chances alive after winning three of its last four games. Key storyline: goaltending duel • Adin Hill is expected to start for Vegas after stopping 30 of 31 shots in his last outing, a 3-1 win over Arizona. • Seattle counters with Joey Daccord, who sports a .918 save percentage since March 1 and debuts a new red-pad setup that’s generating buzz on social media. What’s at stake • A Golden Knights victory would give them a four-point cushion over ninth-place Calgary, with just four games remaining. • The Kraken must win out and get help to avoid back-to-back seasons without playoff hockey in the Pacific Northwest. Matchup numbers • Season series: Vegas leads 2-0, outscoring Seattle 9-4. • Power play: Golden Knights 23.4% (8th NHL); Kraken 18.7% (21st). • Penalty kill: Seattle 82.1% (6th); Vegas 79.3% (15th). • Top scorers: Jack Eichel (VGK) 33-47-80, Jared McCann (SEA) 29-24-53. Lineup notes • Chandler Stephenson skated on the top line with Eichel and Mark Stone at today’s morning skate, giving Vegas added speed through the neutral zone. • Seattle defenseman Vince Dunn (upper body) remains day-to-day and is a game-time decision, while rookie blue-liner Ryker Evans is poised to step in if Dunn can’t go. How to watch and stream The game airs nationally on ESPN+, with regional coverage on Root Sports NW and AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain. Fans can also catch the “Golden Knights vs Kraken live stream” through fuboTV and Sling TV free-trial options. Betting outlook Vegas is a -135 favorite at most sportsbooks; the over/under is set at 5.5 goals. Keep an eye on the first-period over—six of the past eight Vegas-Seattle meetings have produced at least two opening-frame goals. Bottom line Expect a fast, physical contest between rivals whose aggressive forechecks create counter-attack chances. If Hill maintains his recent form and Vegas wins the special-teams battle, the Golden Knights can strengthen their grip on a playoff berth. But if Daccord continues his late-season surge and Seattle’s top line breaks through early, the Kraken could reel the Knights back toward the pack—keeping the Western Conference chaos alive for another week.