Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes are set for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday night at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh.
In just their ninth season as a franchise, the Golden Knights are in the Stanley Cup Final for the third time.
They lost the battle for the Stanley Cup to the Capitals in 2017-18 and then defeated the Florida Panthers in the 2022-23 Final.
On the other side, the Hurricanes are in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since they won it all in 2005-06.
In what should be a tremendous series to watch unfold, puck drop for Game 1 is set for 8:00 p.m. ET.
Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes betting picks and predictions
Golden Knights ML (+125)
The Golden Knights and Hurricanes both have rosters full of playoff experience, but only the Golden Knights can boast Stanley Cup-winning experience.
Carolina has spent the majority of Rod Brind'Amour's tenure as a consistent winner, but just hasn't been able to get over the hump.
They finally got through the Eastern Conference, but things won't get any easier as they battle the Golden Knights in this series.
Vegas enters this matchup coming off the most impressive series win of the playoffs. The Golden Knights made light work of the Presidents Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche in an emphatic four-game sweep.
Vegas won three of those four games by multiple goals and they are playing their best hockey at the right time.
Furthermore, the Golden Knights' momentum is made even more evident when considering the fact that they enter the Stanley Cup on a six-game win streak.
The move to part ways with Bruce Cassidy in favor of John Tortorella was eye-opening at the time, but it has proven to be effective. The Golden Knights enter the Stanley Cup Final with a record of 19-4-1 with Tortorella at the helm.
It's also worth mentioning that Carolina lost Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on home ice against Montreal Canadiens by a score of 6-2.
Vegas is more than capable of finding a win on the road in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Under 5.5 (+100)
Both the Golden Knights and Hurricanes are strong defensive teams that make life difficult on opposing offensive attacks.
During the regular season, both teams allowed fewer than 3.0 goals per game, with Carolina allowing 2.88 and Vegas surrendering 2.95 goals per game.
In the postseason, Carolina is allowing just 1.92 goals per game while Vegas is giving up 2.38 goals per contest. Given the defense-first mindset of both squads, Game 1 could be a low-scoring affair.
Both Carter Hart and Frederick Andersen have been spectacular in net throughout the postseason.
Hart owns a save percentage of .924, while Andersen boasts a save percentage of .931. Both goaltenders are in a groove and both should be able to stymie each offensive attack in this one.
Furthermore, both teams have had substantial time off between the Conference finals and this series-opening game.
Vegas hasn't played since last Tuesday, giving them a full week off between games. Carolina wrapped up its series against Montreal on Friday, which has given them three days off between games.
With that in mind, it may take both offensive attacks some time to get back into a rhythm, especially against such strong defenses and a pair of solid goaltenders.
With a total of 5.5, look to the under.
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Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes odds
Golden Knights | +125 |
Hurricanes | -150 |
Puck Line | CAR Hurricanes -1.5 |
Total | O/U 5.5 |
Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes player props
Anytime goalscorer
Andrei Svechnikov (CAR Hurricanes) | +200 |
Seth Jarvis (CAR Hurricanes) | +220 |
Jack Eichel (VGS Golden Knights) | +220 |
Pavel Dorofeyev (VGS Golden Knights) | +220 |
Mitch Marner (VGS Golden Knights) | +225 |
Logan Stankoven (CAR Hurricanes) | +240 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
