The New York Islanders and Carolina Hurricanes meet in Game 1 of a best-of-7 Eastern Conference 1st-round series Saturday. Puck drop from Scotiabank Arena is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET (TBS). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Islanders vs. Hurricanes odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
Season series: Tied 2-2
These teams met 4 times in the regular season, with the road team winning all 4 games, including 3 one-goal games, and 2 decided in overtime. The Over cashed at a 3-1 clip. Carolina won 4-1 in the most recent game on The Island on March 19, hitting the Under (6) for the only time against New York this season.
These teams met in the 1st round last season, too, with Carolina coming away victorious in 6 games. Carolina won Game 1 by a 2-1 score as the Under (5.5) cashed, as then-goalie Antti Raanta outdueled Ilya Sorokin. In that series, 4 of the 6 games were decided by a single goal too, with 2 of the games being decided in overtime.
The Islanders streak into the postseason, as they went 8-0-1 in the final 9 games of the regular season, while cashing the Under in 3 of the past 4 outings.
The Hurricanes lost 6-3 in Columbus in a meaningless game on Tuesday, halting a 5-game win streak. The Canes ended up with 111 points, which was 2nd-best in the Metropolitan Division to the New York Rangers (114 points), and 3rd-best in the NHL.
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Islanders at Hurricanes odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 5:22 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Islanders +185 (bet $100 to win $185) | Hurricanes -225 (bet $225 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Islanders +1.5 (-145) | Hurricanes -1.5 (+120)
- Over/Under (O/U): 5.5 (O: +100 | U: -120)
Islanders at Hurricanes projected goalies
Ilya Sorokin (25-19-12, 3.01 GAA, .909 SV%, 2 SO) vs. Frederik Andersen (13-2-0, 1.84 GAA, .932 SV%, 3 SO)
Sorokin didn’t have a great season overall, but he finished up strong in April. He has posted a 3-0-1 mark in the past 4 outings, allowing 2 or fewer goals in 3 of those starts. He has also turned aside 81 of the 87 shots he has faced in just the past 2 outings.
Sorokin was on the short end of a 4-1 loss against the Hurricanes at UBS Arena on March 19, allowing 3 goals on 33 shots in the loss. He won at Carolina on Dec. 23, giving up 4 goals on 40 shots in a wild 5-4 victory, and he allowed 4 goals on 46 shots in a 4-3 OTL on Nov. 4 on home ice.
When healthy, Andersen has been rock-solid this season for the Hurricanes. You just never know when the shoe is going to drop, and he’ll be sidelined.
Andersen has allowed just 13 goals in 10 starts since returning from a 4-month injury, absolutely playing out of his mind, posting 3 shutouts in the past 8 starts. He didn’t face the Islanders this season.
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Islanders at Hurricanes picks and predictions
Prediction
Hurricanes 3, Islanders 2
Moneyline
The Hurricanes (-225) will cost you more than 2 times your potential return, and that’s way too much risk for not enough reward, especially in a Game 1. In addition, the fact the road team won all 4 matchups this season should serve as a bit of a cautionary tale. Be careful in this series, as it could be wild.
PASS, and look to the puck line instead.
Puck line/Against the spread
The ISLANDERS +1.5 (-145) aren’t priced out of line in this series opener. Remember, New York won both regular-season meetings in Raleigh. While they’re facing a red-hot Andersen for the first time, New York has been pretty red-hot itself across the past 10 outings, grabbing 19 out of a possible 20 points to get into this position. This should be a close game throughout.
Over/Under
UNDER 5.5 (-120) should be the rule, not only in Game 1, but for the entire series.
Again, The Great Dane, Andersen, has allowed just 13 goals in the past 10 starts since returning from injury on March 7. That’s simply amazing, and it’s no surprise the Under is 5-1 in his past 6 starts.
While Sorokin was shaky for stretches of the season, he buttoned things up considerably in April, just in time for the playoffs. The Isles enter the postseason on a 8-3-1 run to the Under in the past 12 games, and the total has gone low at a 3-1-1 clip in the past 5 starts by Sorokin.
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