Two of the top teams in the NHL are set to collide later tonight from PNC Arena, with the Carolina Hurricanes hosting the Vegas Golden Knights.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Vegas Golden Knights (+176) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (-215) Total: 6.5 (O+116, U-142)This will be the second matchup this month between these two Stanley Cup contenders, which originally saw the Golden Knights register a 3-2 victory on home ice. This time, the Hurricanes will be the host squad, and they’ve posted a 23-7-2 record at home, while the Golden Knights are 18-7-5 as the visitors. Both teams sit inside the top five in points, and this certainly has the makings of a potential Stanley Cup Final preview. The Hurricanes are listed as -215 favorites on the moneyline, while the Golden Knights are priced at +176.
Entering this contest, the Golden Knights have continued to sit as the leaders in the Pacific division and have posted a 6-2-2 record over their past ten games. Carolina has also been streaking, winning four straight games amidst an 8-2 stretch over that same sample size.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup tonight, the Golden Knights are expected to start Jonathan Quick, while the Hurricanes should do the same with Frederik Andersen. The Golden Knights’ new netminder has posted a 13-13-4 record, paired with a .878 save percentage. Andersen has been the better of the two goalies this year, owning a 16-6 record, along with a .906 save percentage. It’s difficult not to give Andersen an edge here, but Quick does have the veteran pedigree to show up on a big stage.
The Hurricanes are an elite team, but so are the Golden Knights, meaning there’s too much separation in the odds for this matchup. Vegas had already outlasted the Hurricanes, and there’s simply too much value in their moneyline price at +176 to fade.
Best Bet: Golden Knights moneyline (+176)
The earlier matchup just under two weeks ago saw the teams combine for five goals, while the total for tonight is set at 6.5, with the over priced at +116 and the under sitting juiced up at -142. Both the Golden Knights and Hurricanes sit inside the top ten in goals allowed per game, meaning another defensive matchup is likely to be on tap. Over the Golden Knights’ past five games, they’ve seen seven or more goals scored three times, while Carolina has seen that transpire in two contests. It’s difficult to envision these teams trading chances and goals, meaning backing the under 6.5 is the direction we’ll take at -142.
Best Bet: Under 6.5 (-142)
Even though we’re projecting a defensive affair to transpire in this matchup, that doesn’t mean there isn’t value in backing some potential goal-scorers tonight. Vegas has an offensive approach by committee, so it’s often hard to project where to lean on their roster. Still, one player standing out is forward Reilly Smith, who’s tallied 21 goals in 65 games. In what should be a defensive chess match, a player like Smith can thrive in this type of game. Smith is listed at +320 to find the back of the net tonight, and there’s definite value in that price point.
Best Prop: Reilly Smith to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+320)
