James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA – Photo by Icon Sport

Carolina Hurricanes vs New York Islanders Game 3: Eastern Conference Playoffs – First Round

The New York Islanders  are hoping to stay alive in the series against Carolina when they host the Hurricanes at UBS Arena on Thursday.

The Hurricanes are ready for big things

The Carolina Hurricanes finished second in the Eastern Conference, and they seem ready for a deep playoff run this year. They were on par in the first two games of the series and took a 2-0 series lead with a 3-1 win in Game 1 and a 5-3 win in the last one. The Hurricanes found themselves in a deep hole in Game 2, being down 2-0 after the first period and 3-1 going into the third. However, they picked up the pace in the third period, winning that stretch 4-0. The Hurricanes’ best player, Sebastian Aho, tied the game with just over two minutes left in the game, and Jordan Martinook gave the Hurricanes a lead only nine seconds later, before Jake Guentzel put a stamp on the win with an empty-net goal in the last minute of the game.

The Islanders are back in the playoffs

The New York Islanders finished the regular season in seventh place in the Eastern Conference after a great run, winning eight of the last nine games to just make it to the playoffs. They played quite well in the first two games, but the Hurricanes were just a better team. Kyle Palmeri, Bo Horvat, and Anders Lee scored in the first 24 minutes of Game 2 to give the Islanders a 3-0 lead, but they just stopped there, and the rest of the game was a downfall for the Islanders.

Betting Trends

The Hurricanes have won 11 of the last 15 games overall against the Islanders and 11 of the last 12 played in New York. Carolina is 7-1 SU in the last eight games overall and 4-1 SU in the last five road games. The Isladners are 8-3 SU in the last 11 games overall and 5-0 SU in their last five home games.

Prediction and Conclusion

The New York Islanders were almost there in Game 2 of the series. They took a 3-0 lead, and it seemed like they would take the series to New York tied with the Hurricanes, but Carolina showed their courage and strength, proving they are a real contender to win the Stanley Cup this season. The Islanders will have all the pressure going into Game 3, and they have to win this one to boost their chances of advancing to the next round. They can definitely compete with the Hurricanes, as they won both of the road games in Carolina in the regular season. However, the Hurricanes are a great defensive team, and that will keep them in this game, and just like in the previous contest, they will be able to have the final punch late in the game and take a 3-0 lead in the series.