James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA – Photo by Icon Sport
Carolina Hurricanes vs Chicago Blackhawks: Can Chicago close the season in positive manner?
The Chicago Blackhawks are hosting the Carolina Hurricanes at United Center on Sunday.
The Hurricanes are having an excellent win
The Carolina Hurricanes are second in the Eastern Conference with a 51-22-7 record. They have won the last four games and are coming off a 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. The Hurricanes are third in the league, allowing 2.54 goals per game. Offensively, Carolina is eighth in scoring 3.38 goals per game and fourth in converting on 26.6% of the power play situations. Sebastian Aho is the best player on the team, with 88 points so far in the season.
The Blackhawks are closing out a disappointing season
The Chicago Blackhawks are 15th in the Western Conference with a 23-51-5 record. They have lost the last three games and are coming off a 5-1 loss to the Nashville Predators. The Blackhawks are the worst offensive team in the league, scoring 2.16 goals per game, and are ranked 29th, allowing 3.51. Connor Bedard is the best player on the team, with 60 points so far in the season.
Betting Trends
The Hurricanes have won the last five games against the Blackhawks and five of the last seven games played in Chicago. Carolina is 6-1 SU in the last 7 games and 9-2 SU in the last 11 games on the road. Chicago is 1-4 SU in their last five games overall and 6-12 SU in the last 18 home games.
Prediction and Conclusion
The Carolina Hurricanes have been one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference for years now, but it seems they finally reached the point of being a real contender in the playoffs. They are very close to the top of the conference and have a chance to close out a perfect week in Chicago. Unlike them, the Blackhawks have lost the last three games, and they have no reason to push in what is left of the regular season schedule. Even if they gave their best, that would not be enough against the Hurricanes, as Carolina has won the last five against them. The Hurricanes will play just enough to win their fifth consecutive game and keep the chance of going to the playoffs as the top seed in the East.
