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The Carolina Hurricanes will face the Washington Capitals for Game 1 of the Second Round on Tuesday at the Capital One Arena. The Second Round is here as we continue our Stanley Cup Playoffs Odds series with a Hurricanes-Capitals Game 1 prediction and pick.
The Hurricanes advanced to the Second Round after dispatching the New Jersey Devils in five games. Meanwhile, the Capitals advanced to the Second Round after beating the Montreal Canadiens in five games. The Hurricanes and Capitals split the season series. Now, the teams will face off in the playoffs for the second time ever. Who will take Game 1?
Here are the Hurricanes-Sabres NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Stanley Cup Playoffs Odds: Hurricanes-Capitals Game 1 Odds
Carolina Hurricanes: -1.5 (+205)
Moneyline: -120
Washington Capitals: +1.5 (-260)
Moneyline: +100
Over: 5.5 (-124)
Under: 5.5 (+102)
How To Watch Hurricanes vs. Capitals Stanley Cup Playoffs
Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
TV: ESPN and TVAS
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Hurricanes Will Cover the Spread/Win
Coach Rod Brind'Amour made history after coaching the Canes to another victory in the First Round. Now, the journey to the Stanley Cup gets tougher, as the Canes must travel to Capital One Arena to take down the Caps. To do that, they will need their offense to take off.
Sebastian Aho did well in the First Round, scoring three goals and five assists. Meanwhile, Seth Jarvis has two goals and three assists. Taylor Hall can become a big player in this series. Notably, the veteran has one goal and two assists. Andrei Svechnikov had five goals and one assist in the First Round. Now, he will look to keep things going. Logan Stankoven has two goals and one assist in the playoffs and will also be a huge factor.
Frederik Andersen practiced for the first time since sustaining an injury against the Devils in the First Round. So far, Andersen is 3-1 with a 1.59 goals-against average and a save percentage of .936. If Andersen cannot go, Pyotr Kochetkov will make the start and comes in with a record of 1-0 with a 2.50 goals-against average. Significantly, either goalie is a good option, as both have played relatively well, and the defense remains stingy.
The Hurricanes will cover the spread if Aho and Svechnikov can make plays happen and create some scoring chances. Then, they need to avoid taking penalties and not let the greatest goal scorer of all time beat them.
Why the Capitals Will Cover the Spread/Win
The Capitals will face the Hurricanes after defeating the Canadiens, and understand the challenge. However, they are the underdog in most sportsbooks, and oddsmakers don't feel confident in them defending their home ice. To beat the odds, the Capitals need to score a lot, and need it from their legendary veteran.
Alexander Ovechkin defeated the Canadiens with four goals and one assist. Amazingly, he still continues to find space and fling shots into the net. Dylan Strome has been an exceptional contributor, tallying two goals and seven assists. Meanwhile, Tom Wilson has two goals and three assists. Pierre-Luc Dubois had two assists in the First Round, while Jakob Chychrun added two goals and one assist. Substantially, the Capitals found multiple ways to put the puck into the back of the net.
Logan Thompson will likely start for the Capitals and has been great in this series. So far, he is 4-1 with a 2.23 goals-against average and a save percentage of .923. He must continue his excellent playoff performance and lead the Capitals to victory.
The Capitals will cover the spread if they can draw some penalties and gain some opportunities on the power play to set up Ovechkin from his “office” to fire a one-timer into the net. Then, the defense must be stingy and not let the Hurricanes get the jump on them early.
Final Hurricanes-Capitals Game 1 Prediction & Pick
The last time the Hurricanes played Game 1 in the Second Round was last season, when they lost to the New York Rangers. Coincidentally, the last time the Capitals played Game 1 in the Second Round was against the Hurricanes, a game they won 3-2, thanks to Ovechkin.
The Hurricanes and Capitals played a lot of fun battles this season. It has not always been clean, but the division rivalry is there, setting up an exciting Game 1. Ultimately, I think this one will be close, with both teams clawing for every advantage they can find. The Capitals will show up strong and make it a tight contest, maybe even winning it. The Capitals cover the spread at home to start the Second Round.
Final Hurricanes-Capitals Game 1 Prediction & Pick: Washington Capitals: +1.5 (-260)
