Round 2 in the eastern conference will feature a divisional rivalry between the Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Rangers. The Rangers and Hurricanes have matched up multiple times this season, but the true winner of the series will be determined this next two weeks in round 2.
Expect to see a very high paced low scoring game in game 1 of the second round. Both the Hurricanes and Rangers had excellent defenses during the regular season, puck drops for this matchup at 7:00 PM eastern time tonight for this matchup. The NHL bettings odds favor the Hurricanes in game 1.
Rangers at Hurricanes Stats
New York Rangers Stats
The New York Rangers found themselves in a ton of trouble in round one after going down to the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1 in the series. The Rangers, to my surprise, managed to battle their way back and win game 7 in overtime to advance to round 2. The Rangers looked very shaky in round 1, but found momentum towards the end of the series.
Their offense in the first round was led by forward Mika Zibanejad who recorded a goal in game 7 and recorded 11 points in round 1. The Rangers offense looked very good in round 1 as they scored 28 goals.
The Rangers biggest issue continues to be their defense. The team allowed 29goals in round one and their defense looked atrocious. All star goaltender Igor Shesterkin also struggled as he was pulled in both games 4 and 5.
New York needs to find consistency defensively if they are going to want to find a win in game one in Carolina. The Hurricanes have one of the best defenses in the NHL and they are the NHL betting picks favorites in game one.
Carolina Hurricanes Stats
The Carolina Hurricanes looked solid in round one, but to my surprise, it took them seven games to defeat the Boston Bruins. The Hurricanes looked very dominant at home in this series, but they struggled immensely on the road. The team managed to close the series out at home for game 7.
The Hurricanes defense has been their strongest strength this playoffs. The Hurricanes only allowed 20 goals in seven games in round one, while also only allowing 2 goals in game 7. The team are going to need solid defense and goaltending if they want to be successful in round 2.
The Hurricanes offense also looked very solid as they scored 24 goals in round 1. The Hurricanes offense was led by Jake Slavin who recorded 8 points in round 1.
The team are an extremely defensive team and their key to success in round 2 is going to be production from their offense,
Matchup information
Rangers at Hurricanes Betting Trends
- Hurricanes under won in game 7
- Rangers over 4 in a row
- Hurricanes are 4-0 at home this playoffs
- Rangers on three game winning streak
Rangers at Hurricanes Predictions
Expect a highly physical low scoring matchup in game 1 in Carolina. The Hurricanes are a very well coached defensive team, while the Rangers rely on their offense and goaltending to win. If the Hurricanes can find a way to beat Shesterkin and slow down the offense of the Rangers, I believe they will win game 1. The Hurricanes are also 4-0 at home during this year’s playoffs, which is going to give them advantage in game 1.
The over/under is sitting at 5.5 total goals for this game. The over odds are -120 while the under odds are currently +100. Look for a low goal scoring matchup in game 1.
The NHL betting expert picks believe the Hurricanes money line should be the pick of the night at -170.
Conclusion
Overall, fans can expect a super tight game between two divisional rivals in game one in Carolina. Both teams are coming off of a huge game 7 win in round one and I don’t see either team wanting to give up game one easily.
The NHL betting stats show the Hurricanes have been very solid at home obtaining a 4-0 record so far this playoffs and I see that record extending to 5-0 after game 1. T
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