What to watch Thursday: Vegas vs. Carolina in Stanley Cup Final Game 2, MLB + more best bets

Home ice has been a disadvantage during this season's Stanley Cup Playoffs.

After the Golden Knights' 5-4 victory over the Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, road teams are 41-36 this postseason. The .532 winning percentage is the third-best winning percentage by road teams in a single playoffs since the NHL-WHA merger in 1979.

In addition, teams that have won Game 1 have gone on to prevail in 11 of 14 series in this postseason.

Both trends are bad news for Carolina, which will attempt to even the series against Vegas at 1-1 when the puck drops for Game 2 on Thursday night at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. The Canes are -165 money line favorites to win, while the Golden Knights are +138 underdogs.

While Carolina-Vegas is the marquee attraction on Thursday, there are other options on a sporting landscape that includes five primetime MLB games. Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet for Thursday, June 4. All times Eastern.

Time: 8 p.m. | Location: Raleigh, N.C. | TV: ABC | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)

SportsLine pick -- Model: Golden Knights +139 | Expert: Hurricanes -160 (Matt Severance)

Based on how Carolina has played during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the defensive lapses in Game 1 may have been an anomaly. The Canes have allowed more than two goals just twice in 14 playoff games, and both of those instances came in the first game of a series after a long layoff. SportsLine expert Matt Severance notes that Carolina rarely loses two in a row. "Their last back-to-back losses in Raleigh were at the start of the new year, and their last [back-to-back] losses overall were in mid-January," he says. The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NHL  game 10,000 times, disagrees. It says Vegas has a 48.0% chance to win and assigns a 'B' grade to the Golden Knights money line (+139).

Time: 8:05 p.m. | Location: Chicago | TV: MLB.TV | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)

SportsLine pick -- Model: Cubs -136 | Expert: Over 10 -115 (Micah Roberts)

Chicago will try to avoid being swept by the Athletics when the teams square off for the third time at Wrigley Field. While Cubs starter Shota Imanaga (4-6, 4.37 ERA) has struggled recently, the Athletics are far less successful against lefties (.695 OPS) than righties (.730). The SportsLine Projection Model says Chicago has a 62.0% chance to win and gives a 'B' grade to the Cubs money line (-136). Meanwhile, SportsLine's Micah Roberts notes that the expected weather forecast should lead to runs. "[The forecast at] Wrigley Field is expected to be 83 degrees tonight with 13 mph winds blowing to left field and no chance of precipitation," he says.

Time: 8:10 p.m. | Location: Houston | TV: FS1 | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)

SportsLine pick -- Model: Astros +1.5 (-184)

Pittsburgh starter Jared Jones (0-0, 10.38) was roughed up a bit in his first start since the 2024 season, giving up five runs on seven hits in just 4 1/3 innings against the Twins. Meanwhile, the Astros' Kai-Wei Teng (3-3, 2.57) has been solid since being stretched out to fill in for injured starters, allowing just three runs total over his last three starts (16 innings). The SportsLine Projection Model says Houston has a 68.0% chance to cover and assigns a 'B' grade to the Astros run line +1.5 (-184).

Time: 9:40 p.m. | Location: Phoenix | TV: MLB.TV | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)

SportsLine pick -- Model: Diamondbacks +1.5 -140 | Expert: Diamondbacks +1.5 -130 (Matt Severance)

Shohei Ohtani is not scheduled to be in the lineup, one day after a dominant two-way performance for Los Angeles on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Arizona starter Ryne Nelson (2-4, 4.82) has a 2.08 ERA over his last three starts at home. Lefty Justin Wrobleski (7-2, 2.87) takes the mound for the Dodgers, but Severance notes that the Diamondbacks rank second in all of baseball in OPS against southpaws (.788). "A one-run loss works just fine," he says. The SportsLine Projection Model agrees. It says Arizona has a 63.0% chance to cover and gives a 'B' grade to the Diamondbacks run line +1.5 (-140). 

Time: 8:30 p.m. Friday | Location: San Antonio | TV: ABC | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)

SportsLine pick -- Model: Knicks +5.5

Will New York ever lose again? In Game 1 of the NBA Finals against San Antonio on Wednesday night, the Knicks closed the game on an 11-0 run for a 105-95 victory. New York has now won 12 straight games with a total point differential of +272. That's the largest differential over any 12-game span in NBA history, regular season or playoffs. The SportsLine Projection Model says there's a 53.0% chance the Knicks cover and assigns a 'C' grade to New York +5.5.