New Jersey Devils at Carolina Hurricanes: Game 2 Prediction and Betting Tips

By Sam Batz

The Stanley Cup Playoffs have entered the Second Round, and on Friday, May 5th the New Jersey Devils take on the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 2 of their Conference Semifinal matchup (8:00 PM EST, TNT). The Hurricanes dominated in Game 1, beating the Devils 5-1 to take a 1-0 series lead. Carolina’s defense was suffocating, limiting the Devils to just 1 shot in the 1st period, and 18 total shots in the game. New Jersey was coming off a tough matchup against the New York Rangers, which went to 7 games, while the Canes finished off the Islanders in 6, and had nearly a week to rest and prepare for their Second Round series. Carolina enters Game 2 as -1.5 goal favorites, but now that the Devils and Hurricanes are on the same level in terms of rest time, it will be a much closer contest on Friday night.  

The New Jersey Devils (+1.5; ML -105)   

The Devils are coming off a thrilling series against the New York Rangers. New Jersey beat their divisional rivals 4-0 in Game 7, securing a spot in the Second Round for the first time since 2012. But the Devils need to be better in front of goal if they are to upset the Hurricanes. New Jersey averaged 3.52 goals per game during the regular season, yet in the playoffs, the Devils are averaging just 2.25 goals per game. Their defense saved them in Round 1, but against a Carolina side who is averaging 3.0 goals and 33.3 shots per game, the Devils have a difficult task ahead of them. 

The Carolina Hurricanes (-1.5; ML -115)

The Hurricanes are a formidable opponent, both on the attack and when protecting their goal. Carolina has allowed just 16 goals in the postseason, the fewest goals against of the remaining teams. They showed just how good their defense is in Game 1, limiting the Devils to less than 20 shots, and giving up just a single goal. Carolina has a 76% chance to reach the Conference Finals, and if they continue to stifle their opponents defensively, the Canes could easily find themselves in the Stanley Cup Finals. But like any good team, Carolina is taking their playoff journey one game at a time, and are solely focused on beating the Devils in Game 2.  

Devils vs. Hurricanes: Game 2 Odds

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Devils vs. Hurricanes: Playoff Stats

Devils vs. Hurricanes: Playoff Betting Trends

New Jersey Devils

• 3-2 record ATS against the HURRICANES this season
• 4-4 record ATS in the postseason
• 2-2 record ATS on the ROAD in the postseason
• 4-4 O/U record in the postseason
• 2-2-0 record as UNDERDOGS in the postseason
• 2-2-0 record as UNDERDOGS on the ROAD in the postseason

Carolina Hurricanes

• 2-3 record ATS against the DEVILS this season
• 3-4 record ATS in the postseason
• 1-3 record ATS at HOME in the postseason
• 4-3 O/U record in the postseason
• 3-1-0 record as FAVORITES in the postseason
• 3-1-0 record as FAVORITES at HOME in the postseason

Devils vs. Hurricanes: Game 2 Prediction

Take the Carolina Hurricanes to win Game 2 over the Devils. New Jersey is favored to keep it close, and could potentially cover the spread (+1.5), but a safer bet would be to take the Hurricanes in a straight-up wager. New Jersey may have scored more goals than Carolina during the regular season, but the Devils have hit a wall in the playoffs, while the Hurricanes are churning along. The Canes are 5-2 in the postseason, while the Devils, who are vastly inexperienced in the playoffs compared to Carolina, are 4-4. 

The Devils relied heavily on 21- year old Jack Hughes to score most of their goals during the regular season, but they aren’t seeing the same production from him in the playoffs. Hughes  has 3 goals, and leads New Jersey with 4.25 shots per game, but opponents know if they can stymie Hughes, the Devils will struggle. The Hurricanes have a range of goal scorers, such as: Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Jesper Fast, and Paul Stastny, who have all scored 3 or more goals this postseason. The Hurricanes are much harder to contain, which is why they dominated Game 1. New Jersey on the road and Carolina at home had the same win-rate (68.3%) during the regular season, but because of their experience, depth, and superior defense, the Hurricanes will roll through New Jersey in Game 2. 

Prediction: Carolina Hurricanes Moneyline (-115)

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