The Vegas Golden Knights aim to bounce back against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final. Following a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory on Thursday, the series is tied at 1-1. The Hurricanes (53-22-7), who accumulated 113 points in the regular season, seek their first Stanley Cup since 2006. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights (39-26-17), with 95 points, look to capture their second title in franchise history after winning their first in 2003.

Face-off is set for 8 p.m. ET at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The latest odds reflect a tightly contested matchup, with Vegas at -110 (risk $110 to win $100) and Carolina at -109. The over/under for total goals is set at 5.5.

The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NHL game 10,000 times, enters the final with a +568 return on top-rated money-line picks. After simulating Hurricanes vs. Golden Knights, the model predicts the total will go Over 5.5 goals based on trends:

• The Over has hit in three of the last four head-to-head matchups.
• The Over has also hit in the last three Carolina games and five of the last ten Vegas games.

Key player projections include Seth Jarvis of the Hurricanes, expected to score 0.40 goals and 0.42 assists, while Frederik Andersen is projected to make 21.8 saves allowing 3.09 goals. On the Golden Knights' side, Pavel Dorofeyev is forecasted to score 0.47 goals with Carter Hart making 25.7 saves and allowing 2.86 goals.

The model suggests that combined goals could reach 6.2, making the Over a strong value play in 56% of simulations. For those interested in betting insights, visit SportsLine for more detailed predictions.