For the second straight spring, the Carolina Hurricanes are the betting favorites in Spherical of the Stanley Cup playoffs in opposition to the staff that each completed forward of them and gained the Metropolitan Division.
Final yr, the Canes got here into Spherical 2 as a classy favourite in opposition to the New York Rangers solely to get dispatched in six video games after falling behind within the sequence, 3-0.
This yr, the Hurricanes are -164 favorites in opposition to the Washington Capitals, who’ve barely put a foot unsuitable all season.
Why can’t the betting market resist falling for Carolina each season?
An enormous a part of what makes the Hurricanes so enticing to bettors is the best way they play.
{Most professional} bettors and oddsmakers closely skew their betting fashions in the direction of 5-on-5 stats because the recreation is usually performed at even energy, and Carolina’s statistical profile at 5-on-5 is elite.
Hurricanes vs. Capitals Spherical 2 sequence odds
| Workforce | Odds |
|---|---|
| Carolina Hurricanes | +136 |
| Washington Capitals | -164 |
Not solely did the Hurricanes tempo the NHL this season with 71 shot makes an attempt per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, in addition they allowed the fewest makes an attempt per 60, and had been the one staff within the league that conceded fewer than 50 makes an attempt per hour at even energy.
The criticism of Carolina’s everything-but-the-kitchen-sink mentality is that the Canes hardly go up an opportunity to fireplace the puck on the internet, which ends up in loads of very low share seems. No staff within the NHL registered fewer low-danger possibilities, per Pure Stat Trick, than the Hurricanes.
What must also be regarding for the Canes on this sequence is that the Capitals do loads of the identical issues nicely that the Rangers did final season, they usually’re a greater 5-on-5 staff than these Blueshirts had been in 2023-24.
Washington could not tilt the ice like Carolina does, however the Caps completed with the fifth-best aim distinction at 5-on-5, they usually had been eighth in high-danger scoring probability fee and eleventh in anticipated targets share.
Not solely that, however Washington is an especially well-drilled outfit beneath presumptive Jack Adams Award favourite Spencer Carbery.
When you don’t let the Canes overwhelm you, it turns into very troublesome for them to win, as a result of they don’t have many gamers who can create magic on their very own.
The Capitals are as composed and structured as any staff within the NHL, so it’s unlikely that they’ll get thrown off their recreation as simply as most different groups by the chaos that Carolina tries to create.
Betting on the NHL?
The opposite edge that Washington has on this sequence, at the very least on paper, is within the blue paint. Freddie Andersen has posted robust numbers for the Canes this season, however he was injured in Spherical 1, and his standing is murky for the beginning of this best-of-seven.
That would go away the inconsistent Pyotr Kochetkov as Carolina’s different choice.
On the opposite finish, Logan Thompson is coming off a terrific season for the Caps, and the previous Golden Knight was excellent in Spherical 1.
The percentages for this sequence paint Carolina as a transparent favourite regardless of not having home-ice benefit.
The story of the tape, the attention take a look at, and nearly the whole lot else counsel that is a lot nearer to a coin flip.
The Caps have worth as an underdog on this sequence.
Lengthy-shot prop
When you’re in search of one thing a bit of friskier than simply the +136 on the Capitals to win the sequence, Aliaksei Protas to steer the sequence in targets is sitting at 30/1.
Protas missed most of Spherical 1, however drew again within the lineup for Recreation 5.
The hulking winger completed with 30 targets this season, the third-most for the Caps this season.
LEADING SCORER: Aliaksei Protas to attain most targets (30/1, DraftKings)
Why Belief New York Put up Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, however a long-profiting sports activities bettor with 10 years of expertise within the playing business. He loves utilizing recreation principle to assist punters win bracket swimming pools, discover lengthy photographs, and learn to beat the market in mainstream and area of interest sports activities.
