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Streaking Hurricanes to Dazzle Bruins

Host Carolina Looks to Stay Perfect

The undefeated Carolina Hurricanes look to extend their winning streak while also gaining revenge against their playoff rivals, the Boston Bruins. Carolina is the favorite as the home team per their NHL betting lines. Boston will be an underdog for the second straight game.

The last time these teams met was in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs. Boston (3-2-0) eliminated Carolina from the playoffs for a second straight season. The Hurricanes (5-0-0) have only won one game in nine tries against Boston yet here they are the favorites. The regular season will prove much different than the postseason.

NHL Preview: Streaking Hurricanes To Dazzle The Bruins
Kirk Irwin/Getty Images/AFP
Team Puck Line Moneyline Total Team Total
Boston +1½ -200 +115 5½ -125o 2½ -125o/-115u
Carolina -1½ +170 -135 5½ +105u 3½ -110o/-150u

Bruins: Getting By on Road

Despite having an aging core and an annual departure of a key player, the Bruins have maintained being an elite team in the East. We can credit their success to their consistently dominant 5v5 play. Boston still has a collection of the best two-way players in the game.

What ails Boston will be its special teams and goaltending. The Bruins have 0.961 PDO partly because of Jeremy Swayman’s awful performance against Philadelphia. He will be in the net this Thursday night. An 18.2 percent power play won’t cut it, either.

Additionally, the Bruins have been a shell of themselves when playing away from home. Boston is only 1-4 in its last five road games. As a rugged team that feeds off of its crowd’s energy (and likely gets more favorable calls), Boston will need to find a way to win games when part of its identity is missing.

Hurricanes: Stars in the Making

Carolina has continued to ascend despite whatever pundits have to say about its offseason moves (or losses). The Hurricanes have not skipped a beat and have thoroughly beaten the competition, outscoring their opponents by an average of 2.8 goals.

In fact, Carolina is also 4-1 on the puck line, making them the most profitable NHL team in terms of online sports betting. And it’s not like Carolina is beating up on the weaker teams. The Canes have beaten four playoff teams from last season, including two of the final four playoff teams: the New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens.

Carolina is rolling four lines deep but namely its top line of Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen has been dominant. The first two lead in team on-ice shot percent (oiSH%) and should be All-Stars in February.

Betting Pick

This isn’t the playoffs, where the referees’ whistles are tighter. In the PNC Arena, expect the more skilled and efficient Hurricanes to beat Boston.

Carolina and Boston may be equal on the 5v5 but the disparity in special teams give the Hurricanes a sizable edge. The Hurricanes have the fourth-best power play percentage (PP) in the league at 31.6 while also having the second-most chances. Boston is 20th and 31st, respectively.

In net, Frederik Andersen is having a renaissance season and looks like the front-runner for the Vezina Trophy with an adjusted goals-against average of 1.80 and 5.4 goals saved above expectation. It’s also tempting to take Carolina’s puckline at +170, but this one may come down to a one goal win for Carolina.

Pick: Carolina Hurricanes -135

Bonus Pick

Carolina has been infamous for ratcheting up the scoring in the third period. Last season, 55 of the 144 goals (38.2 percent) scored in regulation time at the PNC Arena happened in the third. Boston has also had high-scoring third periods as a road team making this the prop to bet online.

Pick: Highest Scoring Period – 3rd Period +190

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