Odds courtesy of TonyBet.
Canadiens vs Hurricanes Game 2 Odds
Despite the brutal loss in the series opener, the Hurricanes head into Game 2 as a massive -209 moneyline favorite at NHL betting sites. The Habs come back as a +160 underdog. The total is set at six goals.
Montreal has now won four in a row against Carolina, dating back to the regular season. Three of those four meetings have cashed the Over, and with both these clubs possessing numerous gamechangers, we can expect another goal fest on Saturday.
Canadiens vs Hurricanes Game 2 Analysis
Montreal may have played two seven-game series before heading to Raleigh for Game 1 on Thursday evening, but it didn’t exactly faze them. After eliminating the Buffalo Sabres on Monday, the Habs came out and beat the Hurricanes by four goals. While Carolina scored an early opener in the first, Martin St. Louis’ team proceeded to answer with four of their own, heading into the intermission with a 4-1 lead.
The Hurricanes had some momentum in the second and cut the lead in half, but Montreal came out and got the job done in the third, as Juraj Slafkovsky scored his fifth and sixth of the playoffs to give the Canadiens a crucial Game 1 road victory. Montreal has tons of momentum right now, but they also need to be ready for Carolina to respond. After all, this is one of the top teams in the league.
Nearly two weeks without playing a game is a lot. And on top of that, the Hurricanes swept both the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers in rounds one and two. The reality is no team has ever gone unbeaten en route to a Stanley Cup title in the modern era, so losing Game 1 to the Habs was honestly necessary.
Carolina definitely came out flat, and while they were the more physical team with 44 hits to Montreal’s 18, the Canadiens were the more clinical group on Thursday evening. The Canes definitely showed promise at times though, and there’s no question they will be finding their best again. Hopefully, it’s in Game 2, because heading back to the Bell Centre in a 0-2 hole is not a recipe for success.
Canadiens vs Hurricanes Game 2 Picks
Carolina was bound to lose a game, but I believe it was a wake-up call after looking rusty. A team this good isn’t going to drop another on home ice where the atmosphere undoubtedly plays in their favor. The Hurricanes will take Game 2.
Pick: Hurricanes -209 /TonyBet
