With an action-packed Eastern Conference slate this Tuesday, the Carolina Hurricanes will square off with the Pittsburgh Penguins in what should be an absolute treat. It is time to check out our NHL odds series where our Hurricanes-Penguins prediction and pick will be made.
Enduring a dreadful five-game losing streak that saw the Hurricanes lose a whopping three overtime contests in heart-breaking fashion, Carolina finally garnered a hard-fought victory over the Calgary Flames by a score of 3-2. Coming into this one, the ‘Canes now sit at 11-6-5 and have already experienced five overtime losses this season.
Although the Penguins can say they haven't lost many matchups past regulation, Pittsburgh trails Carolina by two points in the Metropolitan Division. Clearly, a stellar effort could result in making up some ground in a pivotal divisional matchup. At the moment, Pittsburgh possesses an 11-8-3 record and has also posted a 4-3-1 mark within the confines of their home arena.
Here are the Hurricanes-Penguins NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NHL Odds: Hurricanes-Penguins Odds
Carolina Hurricanes: +1.5 (-260)
Pittsburgh Penguins: -1.5 (+205)
Over: 6 (-110)
Under: 6 (-110)
Why The Hurricanes Could Cover The Spread
On paper, things have not been pretty of late, but the good news is that it appears that Carolina is starting to work out the kinks to begin the process of putting some victories in the win column far more often than not. With that being said, the one area of improvement that Carolina has improved greatly in as of late has been their power play efficiency. Simply put, it appears that the Hurricanes' power play has come back to life.
After going six games without a goal on the one-man advantage, Carolina finally netted two in the overtime loss against the Bruins and then proceeded to pot another pair of scores on the power play in their recent win. No doubt about it, it will be one of the highest priorities for the ‘Canes to take full advantage of penalties that are given to them. If they cannot, then covering will prove to be much more difficult.
In addition, after getting hit in the knee with a puck during a morning skate, starting goalie Antti Raanta will continue to be back in action and made his official return in net on Saturday and didn't seem to miss a beat by stopping 18 of 20 shots for a .900 save percentage and most importantly was one of the main reasons why the ‘Canes were able to come out victorious. Against a Penguins squad that is averaging 3.45 goals per game, Raanta will most likely be facing plenty of action ahead of this evening's bout.
Why The Penguins Could Cover The Spread
Fresh off of a five-game winning streak that finally concluded on Saturday in the 4-1 loss to Toronto, a frustrated Penguins squad will seek a quick turnaround on Tuesday in order to avoid embarking on a mini-two-game skid. Nevertheless, Pittsburgh certainly has the talent to make plays happen to give them a tremendous chance to cover the spread.
If these types of aspirations are gonna come true, then look out for “Syd the Kid,” to leave his imprint on the game from the get-go. At the ripe age of 35, Crosby continues to show why he is one of the greatest players to ever do it as he currently leads the Penguins with 29 points and was also partly responsible for Pittsburgh's lone goal with a crisp assist to tack on to his point total.
Outside of Crosby's dominance, the Penguins will need another name to step up in a big way. With that being said, look no further than backup goalie Casey DeSmith to continue to carry the load with starter Tristan Jarry continuing to be sidelined due to injury. In his latest appearance, Desmith did all could against 41 shots on goal. Even though he allowed four goals, his 37 saves and .902 save percentage prove that he could provide some stellar play and even some comfort to the Penguins organization that he can fill in nicely during Jarry's absence. Conversely, Desmith will hands-down need to be at the top of his game if Pittsburgh wants any chance at winning by more than one goal in this one.
Final Hurricanes-Penguins Prediction & Pick
With nearly identical records, there is no arguing that this early-season matchup has some serious implications. Regardless, expecting the Penguins to win by -1.5 goals is a tough ask and despite the Hurricanes struggling of late, siding with Carolina seems like the wisest thing to do.
Final Hurricanes-Penguins Prediction & Pick: Hurricanes +1.5 (-260)
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