NHL Betting Picks for Friday 5/3/24: Can the Golden Knights Force Game 7?

With two win-or-go-home games set in the Stanley Cup Playoffs tonight, it doesn't get much better than this.

Whether it's moneylines or total goals, there are plenty of ways to bet on the NHL action all season. It's a long 82-game campaign, meaning that the best selections of each night can be very different based on backup goalies coming into play, injuries that add up, and if teams are due for positive or negative swings.

Let's dive into the best bets for tonight.

Note: Lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published. All NHL betting odds and totals are from the NHL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. All advanced statistics are used from MoneyPuck.com and NaturalStatTrick.com.

NHL Best Bets

Vancouver Canucks at Nashville Predators

Under 5.5 Goals (-122)

The series could end tonight between the Vegas Golden Knights and Nashville Predators. No matter if that's the case or not, I expect this series to continue its low-scoring habits with so much on the line.

Throughout the first five games of this series, the final score has been under 5.5 goals three times. The trend should continue with how important every game gets, especially with the Predators trying to avoid elimination at home tonight.

Both of these teams have struggled to score -- and for good reason. The Predators are right in line with the Canucks in terms of goals for per 60 minutes (GF/60). They're both repping 2.39 GF/60, which is why looking at their expected numbers paints the real picture.

Vancouver is dead last in the playoffs with 2.27 expected goals for per 60 minutes (xGF/60). Nashville does have a slight advantage, but it's not much more at 2.44 xGF/60. These rates leave this game destined to hit the under, as neither team's offensive skills are shining in this series.

The Predators are last with a 53.42 Corsi for per 60 minutes (CF/60) while the Canucks are just a tick above with 54.41 CF/60.

With how even this series has been, the best place to bet is the under.

Dallas Stars at Vegas Golden Knights

Stars ML (-114)

There hasn't been a moment in this series that it's been boring. So, can the Vegas Golden Knights force Game 7 against the Dallas Stars?

No, I don't think they can.

After winning the first two games of the series, the Golden Knights haven't had answers for the Stars. Dallas has won three straight and is heading to Vegas with the mindset of closing things out.

While the Golden Knights are a team that can withstand the pressure -- as we saw last year -- it's going to be tough to beat a team that is outplaying them in nearly every way.

Out of the 16 teams in the playoffs, the Golden Knights rank 9th in CF/60 (60.5), 11th in GF/60 (2.47), and 15th in xGF/60 (2.37). The Stars have been nearly the opposite, entering tonight with the 3rd-best CF/60 (70.55), 8th-best GF/60 (2.66), and the 3rd-best xGF/60 (3.83).

Home ice advantage can go a long way for the Golden Knights in most cases, but they went 0-2 in Vegas earlier in this series. Assuming the Stars play their game as they have in their three-game winning streak, it's going to be a wrap.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.