Carolina Hurricanes vs. Calgary Flames: NHL Odds, Prediction

The Carolina Hurricanes, expected to be one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference this season, make their only visit to Calgary on Thursday with the Flames as solid Sports Interaction NHL betting favourites to continue their strong start.

Carolina Hurricanes at Calgary Flames

When: Thursday, 9 p.m. ET
Where: Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary
Moneylines: Flames -134, Hurricanes +121 (5.5)

NHL Odds and Betting Analysis

As these teams reside in separate conferences, they only play twice a season. Calgary will visit Raleigh, N.C., on Jan. 14. Last year, the clubs split. In Calgary, the Hurricanes won 4-2 early in the season. The Flames were down 3-0 late in the second period and pulled within 3-2 midway through the third on a Johnny Gaudreau goal, but Carolina scored in the final minute with a two-man power-play advantage.  In North Carolina, the Flames won 3-1 as Gaudreau had two goals and an assist.

Defenseman Noah Hanifin led Carolina with four points (all assists) in the two games, while Victor Rask had two goals. Eddie Lack was in net for both, but he was acquired this offseason in trade by Calgary because the Hurricanes had previously dealt for ex-Blackhawks goaltender Scott Darling. Calgary also got blueliner Ryan Murphy and a seventh-round draft pick in 2019. The Flames sent back defenceman prospect Keegan Kanzig and a sixth-round pick in 2019. Murphy was bought out by Calgary.

The home team has won nine of the past 12 meetings in this series. The under is 5-2-1 in the previous eight in Calgary.

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes finished second-to-last in the Metropolitan Division last season and not much more is expected in 2017-18. Carolina (2-1-1) has played the fewest games of any team thus far. It comes off an impressive 5-3 win in Edmonton on Tuesday as a sizable underdog. Darling had started the first three games in net, but it was Cam Ward vs. the Oilers and he made a whopping 48 saves.

On the flip side, the Hurricanes had just 21 shots. But they took a 3-0 lead after one period thanks to the first two goals of the season by Teuvo Teravainen and held on. Jordan Staal was the game’s No. 1 star with a goal and three assists. Staal (1G, 3A) and Justin Williams (4A) lead the team with four points each.

Calgary Flames

The Flames (4-2-0) have been off since winning at Vancouver 5-2 on Saturday. Dougie Hamilton had two goals and an assist, Gaudreau a goal and an assist, and Jaromir Jagr his first point as a member of the Flames. Gaudreau (2G, 7A) is among the NHL leaders with nine points and is the first Calgary player with at least that many through the team’s first six games of a season since Phil Housley in 1994. Perhaps not coincidentally, the two games in which Gaudreau hasn’t scored, the Flames have lost by a combined score of 9-0.

Mike Smith has started every game in net for Calgary but shouldn’t need Thursday off with all those days in between games. He has a GAA of 2.59 and save percentage of .929. It’s unclear if the Flames will have winger Micheal Ferland after he missed Saturday’s game with a lower-body injury. He has a goal with five penalty minutes and is minus-2 in five games.

Hurricanes at Flames Prediction

Calgary 3, Carolina 1.