Ottawa Senators vs. Carolina Hurricanes Prediction, NHL Odds
The Senators have been much better this season than their past few but still find themselves six points out of a playoff spot with a few games in hand. They made a trade on Wednesday to clear up some cap space for the trade deadline but will have to pass five other teams to make the postseason.
To no surprise, Carolina is a heavy -255 favourite to win on the NHL odds with the total sitting at the usual 6.5.
Senators vs. Hurricanes NHL Betting Odds
The Senators upset the Hurricanes twice in last year’s season series, taking it two games to one and covering the spread in all three games. This will be their first of three meetings again this season, playing twice in early April.
Keep an eye on Ottawa’s Claude Giroux who has scored 46 points (13G 33A) in 48 career games versus the Hurricanes. As for the Canes, defenceman Brent Burns is a career point-per-game player versus the Sens, with 22 points (6G 16A) in 21 games. Not to mention Burns is currently riding a four-game points streak.
Ottawa’s last outing played the Under dropping their record on the Over/Under to 23-33, but they are still 5-2 to the Over in their last seven games. They have been looked at as the underdog for most of this season so far, leading them to the second-best record against the spread in their division at 31-25.
Riding a four-game win streak, the Canes have covered the spread in their past three games and despite being in second place in the league, they have a below-average 25-31 record ATS. Carolina has played solid defensively all season long giving up the second least goals per game in the league (2.6), helping them play more games to the Under so far this season at 26-29-1 on the O/U.
Ottawa Senators
The Senators lost their most recent matchup Monday in Boston by a score of 3-1. Claude Giroux scored his 23rd of the season for Ottawa’s lone goal in the game, while rookie goaltender Kevin Mandolese stopped 29 of 32 in just his second career start and first NHL career loss.
After three days of rest, Mads Sogaard will likely get back in the crease versus Carolina Friday. Also in his first season in the league, the 22-year-old is 2-0-1 and saving .913 percent of shots.
Their special teams have been booming this season with both units sitting in the top 10 in the league. No power play goals have been conceded in three straight games.
GM Pierre Dorion just traded defenceman Nikita Zaitsev to Chicago, despite going 7-2-1 over their past 10 games. Could Doiron be cooking a bigger move after dumping some cap space?
Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina will be looking for their fifth win in a row Friday, after beating the St. Louis Blues 4-1 on Tuesday. Andrei Svechnikov (2G 1A) and Seth Jarvis (1G 2A) each picked up three points, while Brent Burns had an assist for his 820th career point and extended his own point streak to four games (1G 5A).
Frederik Andersen had a good night in net stopping 35 of 36, but due to injury concerns he usually does not play in three consecutive games, so expect to see Antti Raanta versus Ottawa on Friday.
Without question, the Hurricanes have been the best team in the league over the past five weeks, posting a 13-1-1 record in their past 15 games. They have a healthy five-point lead on the New Jersey Devils for first in the Metropolitan Division.
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