The Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers meet in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference 2nd-round series Tuesday. Puck drop from Madison Square Garden is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (ESPN). Rangers lead series 1-0. Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Hurricanes vs. Rangers odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
The Rangers took Sunday’s opener 4-3 as +101 home underdogs with the Over (5.5) cashing.
The Hurricanes got off to a horrible start, falling behind 3-1 with 3:32 to go in the 1st period. It was undisciplined play which led to the hole, as the Rangers scored twice on the power play. C Mika Zibanejad had 2 goals and an assist, while C Vincent Trocheck tallied a goal and an assist in the period.
Things settled down in the 2nd period with no scoring, and Carolina sliced the lead to 3-2 on C Martin Necas‘ goal 2:48 into the 3rd. Rangers LW Artemi Panarin restored the 2-goal lead at 8:21 of the 3rd before Hurricanes C Seth Jarvis made things interesting by scoring with 1:47 to go. The ‘Canes pulled their goalie but couldn’t force overtime with the extra attacker.
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Hurricanes at Rangers odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 3:22 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Hurricanes -120 (bet $120 to win $100) | Rangers +100 (bet $100 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Hurricanes -1.5 (+200) | Rangers +1.5 (-250)
- Over/Under (O/U): 5.5 (O: +100 | U: -120)
Hurricanes at Rangers projected goalies
Frederik Andersen (4-2-0, 2.54 GAA, .899 SV% – 2024 playoffs) vs. Igor Shesterkin (5-0-0, 2.00 GAA, .921 SV% – 2024 playoffs)
Andersen coughed up 4 goals on just 23 shots in Game 1 against the Rangers, the most goals he allowed in these playoffs. He only allowed 4 or more goals once in the regular season. That was back on Oct. 14, 2023, when the Los Angeles Kings scored 5 times on 30 shots in Andersen’s 2nd start of the season, but the Hurricanes still won 6-5 in a shootout.
Shesterkin allowed 3 goals on 25 shots in the 4-3 win Sunday. He has won all 5 of his postseason starts, while allowing 3 or fewer goals. In addition, Shesterkin has allowed 3 or fewer goals in 12 straight starts dating back to March 28.
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Hurricanes at Rangers picks and predictions
Prediction
Rangers 3, Hurricanes 2
Moneyline
The RANGERS (+100) are underdogs for the 2nd straight home Game against the Hurricanes (-120). It’s hard to figure out what the books are thinking, but take advantage.
New York has won 8 of the past 10 meetings with Carolina, although the 2 victories by the Hurricanes came at Madison Square Garden.
Including the Game 1 victory, the Rangers have won 8 of the past 10 head-to-head meetings with the Hurricanes, dating back to March 28, 2022 — although the 2 victories by Carolina came at Madison Square Garden.
Still, at even-money, the Blueshirts are a tremendous value.
Puck line/Against the spread
If you’re looking for a little bit of insurance, and can’t bring yourself to back New York straight up in Game 2 for whatever reason, the Rangers +1.5 (-250) will set you back 2½ times your potential return. It’s just not a good bet.
New York won outright as the underdog in Game 1, and it won 1-0 in Raleigh as a ‘dog, too, in the last regular-season meeting between the two teams.
The Underdog has won an amazing 10 straight in this series.
AVOID.
Over/Under
UNDER 5.5 (-120) is worth a look in Game 2, but go lightly.
We had a total of 7 goals in the series opener, but as these teams get familiar with each other, the physicality and defense will tighten up, and we should get a flurry of Under results.
The Under holds a 4-2 edge in the past 6 meetings between these Metropolitan Division rivals.
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