Best NHL bets today: Hurricanes host Capitals, Golden Knights visit Oilers down 2-0
The Edmonton Oilers can take a commanding 3-0 lead over the Vegas Golden Knights, while the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes fight for a 2-1 series lead

There are two NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Game 3s going on Saturday night, with the Washington Capitals visiting the Carolina Hurricanes with that series tied at 1-1, and the Edmonton Oilers are up 2-0 and now host the Vegas Golden Knights. Here are the best NHL bets today from the SportsLine Projection Model, and we'll also share today's featured promo, which is FanDuel Sportsbook offering $200 in bonus bets.
Washington Capitals vs. Carolina Hurricanes, 6 p.m. ET, TNT
SportsLine Projection Model's top picks
- Over 5.5 (-115)
- Brent Burns Over 1.5 shots on goal
This series began in Washington in a low-scoring affair that the Hurricanes won 2-1 in overtime, where defenseman Jaccob Slavin was the hero. Thursday's Game 2 was also relatively low-scoring, and the Caps were able to win 3-1 on their home ice as Tom Wilson, John Carlson and Connor McMichael all found the back of the net. The SportsLine model's top prop play for this game involves someone who doesn't have a point this series, and that's veteran defenseman Brent Burns of the Hurricanes. The model rates the Over on his 1.5 shots on goal prop as this game's lone 5-star play, projecting him to record 2.6. Burns isn't the high-volume shooter he was during his San Jose days, where he led the NHL in that category in 2016-17, but he did average more than 2.0 shots on goal per game this season.
The Hurricanes are 1.5-goal favorites on the puck line at home, according to SportsLine consensus odds, and they're -234 favorites on the money line (wager $234 to win $100) to the Capitals' +191 (wager $100 to win $191). The total is set at 5.5 goals, and while these teams have combined for just seven total goals this series, the Over hits in 62.6% of model simulations. You can see the model's latest projections, along with expert picks, at SportsLine, where expert Matt Severance has shared his pick for this game.
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Edmonton Oilers, 9 p.m. ET, TNT
SportsLine Projection Model's top picks
- Oilers ML (-126)
- Connor McDavid Under 1.5 total points
The Oilers are up 2-0 in this series and have won six straight games after falling behind 2-0 to the Los Angeles Kings in the first round. Leon Draisaitl scored one of three third-period goals for Edmonton in a 4-2 Game 1 win, and he was the hero in Game 2, which the Oilers won 5-4 in overtime after the Golden Knights scored twice late in the third period to tie things up. Draisaitl and fellow Oilers star Connor McDavid each have 5-star prop ratings for the Under on their 1.5 total points props, two of four 5-star prop recommendations from the model for this Game 3 clash. McDavid has three assists and no goals this series and has achieved three Unders in his last five games, while Draisaitl has finished below his total points prop in nine of his last 14 games against teams with top-third defenses.
The Oilers are 1.5-goal favorites on the puck line, according to SportsLine consensus odds, and are -125 on the money line (wager $125 to win $100) while Vegas is a +105 (wager $100 to win $105) underdog. The model has the Oilers winning in 59% of simulations. The over/under is 6.5, and the model has one side of the total hitting in more than 50% of simulations. You can see the model's latest projections, along with expert picks, at SportsLine. SportsLine expert Thomas Casale has shared a pick for this game, which you can see only at SportsLine.
Today's featured promo
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