Hurricanes vs. Bruins Odds
| Hurricanes Odds | +120 |
| Bruins Odds | -140 |
| Over/Under | 5.5 (-115 / -105) |
| Time | 7 p.m. ET |
| TV | TNT |
| Odds via WynnBET. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
The Boston Bruins have struggled against the Carolina Hurricanes — not only in this series, but also during the entire regular season. The Canes seem to have the B's number, but Boston will be back on home ice this Friday night, looking to turn the tide.
The Hurricanes' goaltending situation continues to get more interesting as Antti Raanta left Game 2 with an injury. As of writing, it appears rookie Pyotr Kochetkov will make his first Stanley Cup Playoffs start in Game 3. It will be very exciting to see how he performs.
Hurricanes Continue to Shut Down B's Offense
The Hurricanes were the best defensive team in the regular season, and that continues to show in the first round of the playoffs. They haven't even had their No. 1 goalie, Frederik Andersen, and the Bruins have still been able to score only three goals through the first two games.
Just because Kochetkov might technically be the third-string goalie for the Canes, he should not be overlooked. In his four starts, Kochetkov has gone 4-0-0 with a 2.39 GAA and a .914 save percentage. He has been very impressive and has even gotten under the skin of the Bruins already.
Not only have the goaltending and defense been strong, but the Canes are leading the league offensively during the playoffs. Through the first two games, they are averaging five goals per game and 11 high-danger chances. They have tormented the Bruins defensemen and goaltenders, and just because they are the road team in Game 3 doesn't mean they will slow down.
Bruins Starting to Get Frustrated
The Hurricanes have been the Bruins' kryptonite all season long. In five head-to-head matchups, the B's have gone 0-5-0 and have been outscored by a combined 26-4.
You can sense that Boston is starting to get very frustrated by Carolina, and Brad Marchand took out his frustration on Kochetkov in Game 1, which resulted in a fine.
The Bruins have outshot the Canes in both games, but they have to find ways to put the puck in the net. They had only 2.89 expected goals in Game 2 and are averaging 12 high-danger chances each game.
The Bruins are finding ways to generate offense, they just can't seem to finish the job.
Even though they have given up five goals in each of the first two games, they haven't really looked all that bad defensively. Linus Ullmark isn't to be blamed, but he definitely could have played better. After losing the first two games, the Bruins have decided to start Jeremy Swayman, who doesn't have much playoff experience. Swayman was amazing in the regular season, but this is a whole other animal.
Hurricanes vs. Bruins Pick
Both of the starting goalies in this matchup don't have much experience in the postseason, so I don't really think that either team has an edge in that department.
That being said, Carolina has full control over Boston, and the Bruins know this is a must-win game. They're starting to feel the pressure — and it looks like it is getting to them. The B's took nine penalties in Game 2, and if they can't figure it out in the first period of Game 3, their frustration might get the best of them once again.
The Hurricanes have been the better team between the two all year, and I love the fact that they are underdogs on Friday. They can get the job done again and take a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. I love the Canes.
Pick: Hurricanes +110
