Carolina's home edge and defensive spring profile make them the cleaner Game 1 side

The NHL's official schedule confirms Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday, June 2 in Raleigh, and Carolina look like the cleaner side before the series opener.

The main case is not only home ice. NHL.com's official preview notes Carolina have lost just once in these playoffs and reached the Final with the strongest defensive run of any remaining team. Frederik Andersen's numbers have backed that up, and Carolina's structure has consistently forced opponents to spend long stretches away from the most dangerous scoring areas.

Vegas absolutely has enough scoring talent to make this a live series, and the Golden Knights did win both regular-season meetings. Even so, those games were in October and this opening spot belongs to Carolina on fresher playoff evidence. In Game 1, the Hurricanes' defensive floor and home edge make the straight win the more practical play.