The Vegas Golden Knights will face the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday at the Lenovo Center. It's a possible Stanley Cup preview as we share our NHL odds series and make a Golden Knights-Hurricanes prediction and pick.

The Hurricanes lead the head-to-head series 8-5. Recently, the Canes defeated the Knights 5-2 on November 11, 2024, in Vegas. The Hurricanes are 7-3 in the past 10 games against the Golden Knights, including 3-2 in the past five games against them at the Lenovo Center.

Here are the Golden Knights-Hurricanes NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NHL Odds: Golden Knights-Hurricanes Odds

Vegas Golden Knights: +1.5 (-192)

Moneyline: +132

Carolina Hurricanes: -1.5 (-160)

Moneyline: -160

Over: 5.5 (-140)

Under: 5.5 (+114)

How To Watch Golden Knights vs Hurricanes 

Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT

TV: NHL Network, FDSS and Scripps

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Why the Golden Knights Could Cover the Spread/Win

The Golden Knights are still one of the best teams in the NHL. No matter how often they let former players like Jonathan Marchessault go to other teams, the Knights continue to find ways to win. Amazingly, they have continued their string of success and are currently the best team in the Pacific Division, just two points short of the Winnipeg Jets for the top seed in the Western Conference.

But they also have had some issues against Eastern Conference teams, going 6-8-1 over 15 games. Therefore, it was unsurprising that they had trouble when the Hurricanes swept into town on November 11. Things got troublesome from the outset as the Knights fell behind 2-0 after the first period. Then, it got even worse when it was 4-0 in the second period before the Knights could do anything.

The Golden Knights tried everything they could, firing 32 shots on goal. However, they could not get much possession because they only won 40 percent of the faceoffs. The Knights went 1 for 3 on the powerplay in that game and also killed off all four penalties. Likewise, they leveled 27 hits and blocked 14 shots.

All that meant nothing because they fell behind so fast and put themselves in a large hole they could not overcome. Overall, it was a game with a few bad bounces that could have gone the other way. It all started with the first line.

Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist on four shots. However, his line also allowed two goals, and he only won seven faceoffs in 17 attempts. Ivan Barbashev added one goal and one shot. The defensive lapses throughout the other lines were also prevalent. Notably, Tomas Hertl finished with a plus/minus of -2, William Karlsson had a -1, and Nicolas Roy had a -3. Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo had a plus/minus of -3. Overall, the Knights must defend the crease better and not explode Adin Hill, who allowed four goals against the Canes before being pulled.

The Golden Knights will cover the spread if they can jump all over the Canes early. Ultimately, this means ensuring that their defense clamps down and prevents them from taking open shots at the net.

Why the Hurricanes Could Cover the Spread/Win

The Hurricanes blew right through the Knights on their last visit and had an overpowering 4-0 lead at one point. Yes, they led 4-2 in the third but still managed to hold on.

Jordan Staal was the best player in that game with one goal and one assist, while Jaccob Slavin added two helpers. Meanwhile, Eric Robinson had a goal and an assist, while Jordan Martinook had a goal. Tyler Jost had a goal and Martin Necas had an assist.

The Canes fired 34 shots while also winning 60 percent of the draws. However, they went 0 for 4 on the powerplay and allowed a goal on the penalty kill. The Hurricanes still leveled 13 hits and blocked 17 shots. Things might get even better soon as Frederik Andersen is progressing in his recovery, and that's a good thing for the Hurricanes. In the meantime, Pyotr Kochetkov will continue to man the crease, as he did in November when he stopped 30 pucks and allowed two goals.

The Hurricanes will cover the spread if their offense continues to storm early and dominate the Knights. Then, they must once again contain the elite talent the Knights provide.

Final Golden Knights-Hurricanes Prediction & Pick

The Golden Knights are 28-16 against the spread, while the Hurricanes are 22-23 against the odds. Moreover, the Knights are 12-8 against the spread on the road, while the Canes are 14-9 against the odds at home. The Golden Knights are 20-22-2 against the over/under, while the Hurricanes are 19-21-5 against the over/under.

I was correct when I predicted the Canes to cover the spread last time. Subsequently, I think they can do it again, as they play a tight style that the Knights don't mesh well against. Expect the Canes to blow through the Knights and cover the spread at home.

Final Golden Knights-Hurricanes Prediction & Pick: Carolina Hurricanes: -1.5 (-160)