Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes Game 1 Prediction, Odds, Props: Canes Cruisin'
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final is set with the Carolina Hurricanes hosting the Vegas Golden Knights Tuesday night at the Lenovo Center.
bet365 Sportsbook lists the Canes as the favorites on home ice at -150 with the total (Over/Under) sitting at 5.5 goals.
Our Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes prediction, odds overview, and favorite player props will give sharp bettors a good look at the series opener.
Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes odds
| Moneyline | Total (Over/Under) | Puck Line |
| Golden Knights (+125) | Over 5.5 goals (-120) | Golden Knights +1.5 goals (-205) |
| Hurricanes (-150) | Under 5.5 goals (+100) | Hurricanes -1.5 goals (+170) |
Road to the Stanley Cup Final
Both teams have had impressive runs to the final.
After their first two series went to Game 6, the Golden Knights earned a sweep in the last round against a Colorado Avalanche team that won the Presidents' Trophy this season.
Meanwhile, the Canes are the first team to reach the final with one or fewer losses since 1983. They dropped one game to the Montreal Canadiens after sweeping the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers.
Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes Game 1 betting analysis
The line of Jackson Blake, Taylor Hall, and Logan Stankoven has accounted for 35% of Carolina's playoff points (42 of 121). They combined for seven points in the 6-1 closeout game of the Montreal Canadiens in the conference finals.
Andersen has been electric
Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen did not have a strong regular season, posting a 3.04 GAA and a .874 save percentage. However, he has come up huge in the playoffs, going 12-1 with a GAA of 1.41, the best among playoff goaltenders, and a save percentage of .931.
Hart has stepped up
After some shaky starts in the opening round of the playoffs, Vegas netminder Carter Hart (12-4, 2.22 GAA, .924 save %) has been terrific. In the Western Conference final sweep, he gave up only seven goals in four games, facing an Avs team that led the NHL in scoring this season.
The leaders clash
Allowing only 1.41 goals per game, Carolina leads all teams in the playoffs. However, that defense will be facing a Vegas team that ranks second in playoff scoring, averaging 3.63 goals per game.
The Canes now face two Vegas players who lead the playoffs in goals, in Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden, with 10 apiece, and two who lead in points, in Mitch Marner (21) and Jack Eichel (18).
Some confidence for Vegas
The Golden Knights won both games against the Canes this season, outscoring them 10-4.
Hart did not play in either of those games, while Andersen played in both and allowed eight goals.
PlayersBest prediction: Hurricanes moneyline (-150)
Tough call in the opener with both teams having impressive runs to the final.
Carolina was lit up for six goals in the first game of the last series, but then only gave up five over the next four games. They have committed very few mistakes, have limited shots against, and have surrendered only one goal in the last two games.
The Hurricanes' defense will stay hot, and in what I see as a low-scoring defensive battle, the Canes will take Game 1.
Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes player prop picks
Here are some of the Game 1 player prop picks we like at DraftKings Sportsbook:
- Andersen to face under 21.5 shots (-115) – In the last round of the playoffs, the Canes allowed an average of just 15.6 shots on goal in the five games.
- Logan Stankoven +1 goals (+250) – Good value bet for a player ranking second in the playoffs in goals. A flyer with good odds is +1400 for him to score the first goal.
