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The Carolina Hurricanes will play on the second end of a back-to-back as they drive down the Interstate-5 Freeway to face the Anaheim Ducks. It will be a battle at the Honda Center as we continue our NHL odds series and make a Hurricanes-Ducks prediction and pick.
The Ducks lead the head-to-head series 27-17-1. Additionally, they are 6-4 in the past 10 games against the Hurricanes, including 3-2 in the past five games at the Honda Center. The Ducks defeated the Hurricanes 3-2 earlier this season in Carolina.
Here are the Hurricanes-Ducks NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Hurricanes-Ducks Odds
Carolina Hurricanes: -1.5 (+120)
Moneyline: -210
Anaheim Ducks: +1.5 (-148)
Moneyline: +172
Over: 5.5 (-128)
Under: 5.5 (+104)
How To Watch Hurricanes vs Ducks
Time: 8 PM ET/5 PM PT
TV: ESPN+, Victory + and KTTV
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Hurricanes Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Hurricanes remain one of the top teams in the NHL and came into the weekend off an eight-game winning streak. Despite the drama surrounding Mikko Rantanen's acquisition and then his trade to the Dallas Stars, the Canes have persevered and remain an elite team. But they have had trouble with the Ducks and lost to them earlier in the season.
The Hurricanes started slowly in that contest, trailing 1-0 after the first period. After a scoreless second period, they fell behind 2-0. But the Hurricanes got stronger (pun intended) in the third period when Andrei Svechnikov connected with a powerplay goal. Then, they got a goal from Seth Jarvis with 56 seconds left to force overtime. Unfortunately, they allowed a goal just under two minutes in to fall.
The Hurricanes managed 37 shots on goal, with only two going in the net. Likewise, they won 60 percent of the faceoffs and went 1 for 2 on the powerplay. While they had plenty of chances to score, they ran into a hot goaltender as John Gibson would not let anything get past him. Also, they just could not get good rebounds to puck pucks into the net.
Pyotr Kochetkov had just 17 saves and allowed three goals. Ultimately, the defense had 32 hits before him and blocked eight shots. But Frederik Andersen likely makes the start if Kochetkov goes on Saturday.
The Hurricanes will cover the spread if they can continue finding ways to put pucks into the net, and generate good offensive chances. Then, their defense and goaltending must be better.
Why the Ducks Could Cover the Spread/Win
While they likely will miss the playoffs again, the Ducks have some hope as they have taken the next step in their development this season. Amazingly, they have looked better as a team this season as the youth has shown cracks of playing well. But there is still work to do, and the Ducks certainly have the players to get it done, as they did it last time.
The Ducks started that win with a goal by Jansen Hawkins. Then, Cutter Gauthier put one in the back of the net to make it 2-0. Unfortunately, the Ducks blew the two-goal lead, which forced overtime. But the Ducks bounced back, and Gauthier netted the game-winning goal.
The Ducks fired just 20 shots on the net, which has been a recurring problem this season as they have been unable to generate many shots on goal. Additionally, they won just 4o percent of the faceoffs, forcing them to chase often. The Ducks also struggled on the extra-man attack, going 0 for 2 on the powerplay.
Gibson, as noted earlier, made 35 saves and allowed two goals. They also went 1 for 2 on the penalty kill. The defense leveled 26 hits and blocked 28 shots. The Hurricanes' ridiculous possession advantage put the Ducks in this situation. However, the Ducks did not wither and found a way to win even when playing an ugly style.
The Ducks will cover the spread if Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, and the rest of the young guns can find ways to get pucks at the net. Then, the defense must continue to defend the net and not let the Canes have good scoring chances.
Final Hurricanes-Ducks Prediction & Pick
The Hurricanes are 32-36 against the spread, while the Ducks are 48-21. Moreover, the Canes are 20-15 against the spread on the road, while the Ducks are 22-11 at home. The Hurricanes are 27-36-5 against the over/under, while the Ducks are 26-41-2 against the over/under.
For whatever reason, the Hurricanes always struggle to beat the Ducks. I can see it happening again. Whether or not the Ducks actually win the game, they will cover the spread at home in a gritty game that will test an Eastern Conference contender.
Final Hurricanes-Ducks Prediction & Pick: Ducks +1.5 (-148)
