Islanders vs. Hurricanes predictions, NHL picks & odds for Monday, 4/17
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The first puck of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs drops in Carolina Monday night with the Hurricanes hosting the New York Islanders. These are two teams that play similar styles, so it’s no surprise that it’s set to be one of the closest series in the opening round. The Hurricanes were able to fend off the New Jersey Devils to win the Metropolitan Division, while the New York Islanders were able to secure the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
With such a tight series set to take place, our experts have Islanders vs. Hurricanes predictions for Monday’s game to go along with a $1,250 bonus offer for new users that .
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As mentioned, these teams play similar styles, which is why we’re predicting a low-scoring opening game and series overall. Carolina has been incredible at shutting down pressure on net by allowing the fewest shots per game this season. That has helped them also become the second-best goaltending team, allowing just 2.56 goals per game.
Similarly, the Islanders have an elite goaltending duo in Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov. With such a defensive focus on both sides of the ice, our Islanders vs. Hurricanes predictions are no surprise. So, let’s dive into why we’re taking the under 5.5 goals as our best bet.
The Islanders were able to steal away the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference from the Pittsburgh Penguins, ending their streak of 16 straight years in the postseason. They did so off the back of Sorokin and the defense in front of him. That’s exactly what was expected from a team led by head coach Lou Lamoriello.
That’s been his calling card, and this year is no different. Behind Sorokin and Varlamov, New York ended the season allowing just 2.65 goals per game (fifth-best in the NHL). That means we have a matchup between two top-five goaltending teams, which is why the total is set at just 5.5 goals.
There will also be a lack of offensive presence on both sides. The Islanders are still dealing with Mathew Barzal not being 100%, while the Hurricanes have been feeling the absence of Andrei Svechnikov. Despite winning the Metropolitan Division, Carolina ranks in the middle of the pack in terms of goals scored per game, while New York ranks just 22nd in the same regard.
Taking all that into account, we’re confident making the best bet from our Islanders vs. Hurricanes predictions on the under 5.5 goals with -130 odds at Caesars Sportsbook.
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That’s because if your first bet is unsuccessful, Caesars will credit you with a full refund in the form of bonus bets. Let’s say you back our Islanders vs. Hurricanes predictions and take the under 5.5 goals but six or more goals are scored. You still won’t come away empty-handed, as you’ll get your bet amount back in bonus bets.
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If you’d like to stick with our Islanders vs. Hurricanes predictions, the under 5.5 goals comes with a -130 price. That means a $13 wager profits $10 as long as five or fewer goals are scored. You could fade our Islanders vs. Hurricanes predictions and take the over 5.5 goals at +110 odds. That means a $10 bet profits $11 if six or more goals are scored.
There’s always the standard money line market, where the Islanders come with a +140 price and the Hurricanes are listed at -165 odds. Now that you have the latest lines and odds at Caesars Sportsbook, let’s take a look at the upcoming playoff games.
The Islanders and Bruins will face off again on Wednesday, April 19 at 7 PM ET for Game 2 of their opening round series. Until then, here is the schedule for the Game 1 of each series over the next two days:
Monday, April 17:
- New York Islanders (+140) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (-165) - 7 PM ET
- Florida Panthers (+180) vs. Boston Bruins (-210) - 7:30 PM ET
- Minnesota Wild (+120) vs. Dallas Stars (-140) - 9:30 PM ET
- Los Angeles Kings (+155) vs. Edmonton Oilers (-180) - 10 PM ET
Tuesday, April 18:
- New York Rangers (+110) vs. New Jersey Devils (-130) - 7 PM ET
- Tampa Bay Lightning (+135) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (-155) - 7:30 PM ET
- Winnipeg Jets (+135) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (-155) - 9:30 PM ET
- Seattle Kraken (+155) vs. Colorado Avalanche (-180) - 10 PM ET
Whether one of the other matchups catches your eye or you want to roll with our Islanders vs. Hurricanes predictions, be sure to create a new account using Caesars promo code SILIVEFULL to snag your $1,250 sign-up bonus.
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