The Vegas Golden Knights will host the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, in their home opener at T-Mobile Arena.
Both teams are kicking off their NHL seasons, with high expectations and loads of optimism on both sides. According to the bookmakers, the Avalanche are the slight favorites, but we think the Golden Knights are set to put up a tough fight, especially at home.
Game Date: Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Time: 10:00 PM ET
Location: T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Nevada
TV Station: TNT
Streaming: Available on MAX (with a B/R add-on)
Currently, the Avalanche are favored at -125, while the Golden Knights sit at +105 on the moneyline. That’s not a big difference, but it just shows that the Golden Knights are the underdogs.
The over/under is set at 6.5 goals, and the puck line has the Avalanche at +1.5 (-270) while the Golden Knights are at -1.5 (+220).
When it comes to team totals, both teams offer some interesting opportunities.
The Avalanche's over/under is tilted toward higher scoring, with odds like over 3.5 (+130) and under 3.5 (-170) meaning the oddsmakers expect Colorado to find the back of the net a bit more frequently. On the other hand, the Golden Knights also have strong odds for scoring, with over 3.5 (+135) and under 3.5 (-175) offering similar opportunities.
No matter how you cut it, this game is shaping up to be a good one — if the odds are any indicator.
The Avalanche finished last season with an impressive 50-25-7 record. For the most part thanks to their dynamite offense led by Nathan MacKinnon, who tallied 51 goals and 89 assists.
While Gabriel Landeskog remains sidelined due to his lingering knee injury, Colorado’s attack remains one of the most dangerous in the NHL.
However, their Achilles heel is goaltending and defense. They were inconsistent last year and this will most likely be problematic against a solid opponent like Vegas. That OVER 3.5 total for the Golden Knights is looking really good right now.
The 2023-2024 champions, the Vegas Golden Knights, have undergone some key changes, most notably the departure of Jonathan Marchessault to the Nashville Predators, who contributed 42 goals last season.
They’ll now look to Tomas Hertl and others to step up in his absence. Hertl is listed at +260 for an anytime goal, making him one of the best candidates to find the net for Vegas.
Despite the loss of a few key players, their home advantage at T-Mobile Arena should not be overlooked. We think this will play a bigger role considering it’s the season opener.
Both teams come into this game with plenty of talent, but there are key trends to consider—
The Avalanche's offensive firepower makes the over 3.5 team total at +130 a nice bet, especially against a Vegas defense that’s adjusting to off-season changes.
Given that the Av’s defense hasn’t been solid and their goaltending is relatively dismal, the OVER for the 3.5 total for Las Vegas seems solid.
This game is going to be packed with offensive action and we don’t think there’s anything too special about the defenses of these two teams. We would strongly consider taking the OVER at 6.5 goals for the game.
Looking at first-period action, over 0.5 goals (-160) within the first ten minutes seems likely given both teams' aggressive starts.
On top of that, the first team to five shots market has the Golden Knights favored at -115 over Colorado, showing confidence in the home side to come out firing. After all, they’re going to try to make a statement in front of the home crowd.
The Golden Knights have plenty of talent. Losing Marchessault hurts, especially in a game where they’ll need to match the Avalanche's offensive firepower.
Vegas will rely on Hertl, but the absence of other proven scorers could be a factor in slowing down their attack. Meanwhile, Colorado’s offensive talent looks all set to overwhelm Vegas, despite their own defensive weaknesses.
BettorsInsider Best Bet: Colorado Avalanche -125
The Avalanche's scoring ability, coupled with question marks surrounding Vegas’s offense, makes Colorado the safer bet to start the season strong. Back the Avalanche on the moneyline. The puck line might be a bit of a stretch given there are still some unknowns each team needs to shake out as the season progresses.