Devils vs Hurricanes Odds, Pick & Prediction – NHL Playoffs Game 2
- The Carolina Hurricanes host the New Jersey Devils in Game 2 of their NHL playoff series
- Carolina skated to a 5-1 win in Game 1, and sports an 8-2 SU record in their past 10 versus the Devils
- Read on for all the odds and trends ahead of Friday night’s NHL playoff matchup at PNC Arena
The Carolina Hurricanes will be looking to take a 2-0 series lead in their NHL second-round playoff matchup with the New Jersey Devils when they return to action for Game 2 on Friday night.
The Hurricanes opened the series with a dominating 5-1 win on Wednesday, and have now won five of their past six overall contests on home ice. The Devils failed to maintain the defensive edge in Game 1 that was key to their first-round series win over New York, and have now fallen to defeat in eight of 10 road dates in Carolina.
Start time is set for 7:10pm ET at PNC Arena, with all the action televised on TNT and Sportsnet.
Devils vs Hurricanes Game 2 Odds
| Game Time (ET) | Team | Puck Line | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, May 5 | New Jersey Devils | +1.5 (-275) | O 5.5 (+110) | -105 |
| 7:10 pm | Carolina Hurricanes | -1.5 (+225) | U 5.5 (-135) | -115 |
The Hurricanes’ impressive performance in Game 1 has failed to give them a lift in the Friday NHL odds, where they are pegged as slender -115 favorites. The Devils lag as strong -105 underdogs, and -135 odds favor the total going UNDER 5.5.
In addition, the Hurricanes have improved to -175 favorites in the NHL playoff series prices in the wake of their series-opening win, while the Devils have dipped to +145. Carolina has also joined a tight race at the top of the Stanley Cup odds, where they now sit alongside Toronto at +500, closely trailing co-favorites Edmonton and Vegas, who sit knotted at +450.
Odds from BetMGM Sportsbook on May 4, 2023.
Devils vs Hurricanes Recent History
With Wednesday’s victory, the Hurricanes snapped a two-game losing streak against New Jersey, and have now taken three of five overall from the Devils so far this season. Carolina has also regularly outclassed the Devils during the 8-2 SU run in head-to-head action, with six of their eight recent victories coming by multi-goal margins.
And while the UNDER has once again emerged as the clear favorite in totals betting, that bucks a recent trend that has seen these clubs combine to score six or more goals four times during a 4-2 run for the OVER.
New Jersey Devils Betting Outlook
The Devils’ youthful speed and finesse proved to be no match for a veteran Canes squad that successfully slowed down the pace in Wednesday’s series opener. New Jersey skaters struggled to generate scoring opportunities while mustering just 18 shots on goal, and managed to put just one total shot on net while spotting the Hurricanes a 2-0 lead in the first period.
Akira Schmid, out.
The #Canes have chased the rookie netminder after just 21:55 of play. Vitek Vanecek is in.
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) May 4, 2023
Questions also loom for the Devils at the other end of the ice. Brilliant while leading the Devils to victory over the Rangers in the first round after taking over the crease from Vitek Vanecek, Akira Schmid struggled in Game 1, allowing three goals on just 11 shots. That leaves head coach Lindy Ruff with a tough decision as to who gets the call in net Friday night.
Carolina Hurricanes Betting Outlook
No one has ever accused this edition of the Carolina Hurricanes of being the most exciting team in the NHL. However, after bringing the Devils to their knees in Game 1 while slowing the tempo to a crawl, few Hurricanes fans are likely to complain.
Indeed, the Hurricanes’ newfound stingiest is a welcome development after the club after surrendering an average of 35 shots on goals while topping the New York Islanders in six games in the first round.
Frederik Andersen since returning from injury
2 Games played
—0.964 SV%
—2.98 GSAA
—0.941 HDSV%
—2.29 HDGSAANo sign of rust pic.twitter.com/EpaZFV8Dfu
— Big Head Hockey (@BigHeadHcky) May 4, 2023
The supporting cast provided the Hurricanes with the offensive spark in Game 1. Jesper Fast was one of five different goal scorers, and added an assist in his first multi-point effort since mid-March. Jordan Staal also contributed a pair of helpers to snap a three-game points drought.
In net, Frederik Andersen was steady while handling a light workload, stopping 17 of 18 shots while winning his fourth straight start versus the Devils.
Devils vs Hurricanes Game 2 Prediction
The Hurricanes established their dominance in the first game of this battle between youthful speed merchants and wily veterans.
Until the Devils find a way to overcome the Canes’ smothering game plan and get some consistent goaltending, it is tough seeing this situation getting any better for New Jersey.
The Pick: Hurricanes -1.5 (+225); OVER 5.5 (+110)
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Daniel has been writing about sports and sports betting for over 23 years. The seasoned pro has contributed to the likes of Sports Illustrated, Sportsnet, NESN, Bleacher Report, OddsShark, the Globe and Mail, and The Nation magazine.
