Carolina Hurricanes vs. Vegas Golden Knights Game 3 Prediction, NHL Odds
The Carolina Hurricanes will be looking to reclaim home-ice advantage and remain undefeated on the road in this spring’s NHL playoffs when they visit the Vegas Golden Knights for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena. After blowing an early lead in a narrow 5-4 loss in Game 1, the Hurricanes rebounded to claim a 5-4 comeback victory in overtime on Thursday, knotting this highly entertain Cup battle at a game apiece. Thursday’s defeat snapped the Golden Knights’ seven-game win streak, but Vegas has enjoyed home cooking while winning 10 of their past 12 overall at T-Mobile Arena.
Saturday night’s clash is pegged as a pick’ em on the Game 3 NHL odds board, with each of these clubs listed as a -110 bet and the total set at 5.5. However, the Hurricanes maintain a narrow edge on the Stanley Cup odds as -128 chalk while the Golden Knights trail as +110 underdogs.
Hurricanes vs. Golden Knights NHL Betting Odds
NHL fans looking for a battle between two well-matched teams must be delighted with how this year’s Stanley Cup Final has unfolded. After seeing Game 1 decided in the final four minutes, it took extra time to determine a winner on Thursday night in a Game 2 matchup in which these squads mustered 26 shots each. Overall, both these teams have potted eight total goals in the series, but the Hurricanes leveraged an efficient power play to seal their Game 2 victory with their two final markers coming with the extra man. Both these clubs have also benefited from distributed scoring, with six different skaters on each side finding the mark through the first two games. However, recent dates between these teams in Vegas have tended towards lower scoring, with the total failing to top 5.0 in three of their past four dates and five of eight all time.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes leveraged a third-period rally that produced three goals and forced overtime in Thursday’s victory, with Seth Jarvis potting the game winner in extra time. That goal could not have come at a better time for Jarvis, who is part of a Canes top line that has failed to produce as expected this spring. Jarvis led the squad with 32 goals this season and has now scored in two of his past three games but has tallied just four goals and nine points during these playoffs.
His linemates have equally struggled. Sebastian Aho led the team with 80 points during the regular season but has generated just four goals and eight points in the playoffs while Andrei Svechnikov has scored just three teams while compiling eight points, with just five of those points coming at even strength. However, Logan Stankoven has heated up at the right time, racking up three goals and two helpers over the past four games. Taylor Hall flashed youthful form earlier in the playoffs but has been held off the scoresheet in the Final while Nik Ehlers saw a three-game five-point run halted in Game 2.
Vegas Golden Knights
Once again, Brett Howden provided the spark for the Golden Knights in Game 2. The 28-year-old centre mustered just 12 goals during the regular season but has found a new level during this postseason, potting 13 total goals including three markers in the Stanley Cup Final that have helped lift him to a +550 bet on the odds to win this year’s Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Mitch Marner still leads the way as a short +150 bet, largely due to his playmaking and newfound defensive responsibly. Marner continues to lead the club with 24 points but should not be counted on to score after failing to bulge the twine in six straight contests.
A 27-goal producer during the regular season, Jack Eichel has also been content in a playmaking role, equaling Marner with 17 assists, but has scored just twice in the postseason and potting just five total goals since mid-March.
