James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA – Photo by Icon Sport
New York Islanders vs Carolina Hurricanes Game 5: Eastern Conference Playoffs – First Round
The New York Islanders survived in the last game and now the series moves back to Carolina where the Hurricanes will host the Islanders at the PNC Arena on Tuesday.
Can the Islanders pull up a miracle in Carolina?
The New York Islanders found themselves with their backs against the wall, being 3-0 down going into Game 4. They managed to turn the game around and have a 2-1 lead, but the Hurricanes sent the game to overtime. It was a “win or go home” situation for the Islanders, who saved the season for now with Mathew Barzal’s goal in the second minute of the second overtime. He scored twice in the game and Jean-Gabriel Pageau added another goal for the Islanders.
The Hurricanes are the top favorite to win it all
The Carolina Hurricanes finished second in the Eastern Conference and had full control in the series against the Islanders. They took a 3-0 series lead and had a chance to get the job done in the last one, but failed just short in overtime. Seth Jarvis scored the opener in the first period of the game, and Stefan Noesen tied it with six minutes to go in the third. The Hurricanes could not use their chances in overtime, which cost them the game, but they are still in a great situation.
Betting Trends
The Hurricanes have won 4 of the last 5 games against the Islanders. They are 8-2 SU in the last 10 games overall, 8-1 SU in the last 9 home games and 14-5 SU in the last 19 games against teams from the Metropolitan Division. The Islanders are 9-4 SU in the last 13 games overall, 4-8 SU in the last 12 games on the road and 4-1 SU in the last five games played on Tuesday.
Prediction and Conclusion
This is the second consecutive year these two teams have faced each other in the opening playoff round. Last season, the Hurricanes advanced, winning the series in six games, and they are hoping to get the job done earlier this time around. The Hurricanes are by far the better team, even though they lost the last game. The Islanders left everything they had on the ice, and they deserved to stay alive in the series. They have nothing to lose from this point on, but that will make no difference tonight. The Hurricanes are considered the top favorite to win the Stanley Cup this season and will move on to the next round with a comfortable win.
