The Vegas Golden Knights will begin their four-game road trip in Raleigh when they take on the stumbling Carolina Hurricanes. While both teams are still favored in the Stanley Cup odds, they're trending in opposite directions ahead of tonight's matchup.
Despite recent form, NHL odds still labeled Carolina as the home favorite with the total set at a flat 6.0.
Jack Eichel has played a big part in helping Vegas achieve the league's best record up to this point, and because of that, I'll be looking at his NHL player props for my best bet tonight. Find out which one I'll be backing in my free NHL picks for the Golden Knights vs Hurricanes on December 19.
Golden Knights vs Hurricanes odds
Golden Knights vs Hurricanes predictions
The Vegas Golden Knights have a Top 10 offense in the league — averaging 3.41 goals per game — and that number has jumped up to 4.25 per game in eight outings during December. The jump in offense can be credited to the man-advantage clicking since the calendar changed, with the Knights' PP operating at a 29% clip in the same period — up from their season average of 23%.
Vegas has registered a power-play goal in seven of eight, and now the Knights will go against a Carolina Hurricanes team averaging 9.5 penalty minutes per game (15th in the NHL) with a mediocre 80.6% penalty kill (14th). We've been shown if the Knights get enough opportunity on the PP they'll convert, and it doesn't look like Carolina has the discipline to keep itself out of the box for 60 minutes.
With this in mind, I'm looking at Vegas' leading scorer Jack Eichel to net a point while on the man advantage. Eichel has 12 points this month and is fresh off a two-point outing against the Senators, where he registered an apple on the PP. That was his fourth power-play point in December, and with him getting minutes on PP1, I like his chances to do more damage tonight.
Eichel's points prop has way too much juice for me to bite, but I'll gladly take his PP points prop at plus money with this unit clicking. The +150 price is probably because he's only had 11 PP points on the season, however, four of those have come in the last eight games. The man advantage has been hot this month so I have no issues with taking the Knights' leading scorer to capitalize on one.
An assist seems more likely, but it's also good to note Eichel has registered 12 shots in his last two games and he's not afraid to let it loose. Whether it's via pass or a tipped shot, we just need the Vegas center to find his name on the score sheet during one of the power plays.
My best bet: Jack Eichel Over 0.5 power-play points (+150 at bet365)
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Golden Knights vs Hurricanes same-game parlay
Jack Eichel Over 0.5 points
Eichel Over 3.5 shots on goal
Golden Knights moneyline
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Since bet365 doesn't allow you to add power-play points to SGPs I'll quickly pivot to Eichel to collect one point in general. Along with his 12 points this month, Eichel has also been firing on all cylinders — averaging over four per game. He's coming off a four-shot performance against Ottawa and I expect him to keep them coming in Raleigh.
Lastly, Vegas is the No. 1 team in the NHL for a reason. It's won seven of 10 and has a very respectable 9-3-3 road record on the year. The Knights are about to embark on a four-game roadie, so there'll be added motivation to start things off with two points.
As for the Canes' recent form, they'll limp into this one with a 3-4-3 record over their last 10, and I don't think they have enough to keep up with Vegas at this point in the season.
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Golden Knights vs Hurricanes moneyline and Over/Under analysis
Despite recent form and overall records, it was the Hurricanes who were awarded favorites status for this matchup. Home games are never to be taken likely in the NHL, and Carolina's 8-2-3 record most likely played a part in making it a favorite over Vegas.
As for the total, it opened at a flat 6.0 and hasn't seen any movement as of writing. Both teams have plenty of weapons on offense but also possess stout defense. I don't expect this line to change before puck drop.
Golden Knights vs Hurricanes betting trend to know
The Golden Knights have scored a PP goal in four straight. Find more NHL betting trends for Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes.
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Golden Knights vs Hurricanes game info
| Location: | PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC |
| Date: | Tuesday, December 19, 2023 |
| Puck drop: | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Scripps, Bally Sports South |
Golden Knights vs Hurricanes latest injuries
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