Carolina Hurricanes vs Boston Bruins Predictions, Odds, Picks

• The Carolina Hurricanes are on an eight-game winning streak.
• The Boston Bruins won four of their last five regular season games.
• The Hurricanes were 3-0-0 against the Bruins this season.

Carolina Hurricanes vs Boston Bruins Odds

Odds taken from DraftKings Sportsbook.

Carolina Hurricanes vs Boston Bruins Picks

Carolina Hurricanes beat Boston Bruins 4-2

Carolina Hurricanes cover

Over 5.5 goals

The Carolina Hurricanes will try to build a 3-0 lead against the Boston Bruins. The Hurricanes beat the Bruins all three times they faced them during the regular season. Carolina won with ease against Boston and scored 16 goals in those three games.

The Carolina Hurricanes were the third-best team during the season. They were destined to have an excellent year after starting the season on a nine-game winning streak. Carolina was dominant for the whole season and kicked it up a notch during the final ten games. They won eight of their last ten games and finished on a six-game winning streak. The Hurricanes have crushed the Bruins in the first two games of this series. They won Game One 5-1 behind 35 Antti Raanta saves. The Hurricanes scored five goals again in Game Two and won 5-2. Sebastian Aho led all players with two goals.

The Hurricanes have some of the most talented players in the NHL in center Sebastian Aho, right-winger Andrei Svechnikov, and left-winger Teuvo Teravainen. Aho is the most individually gifted Hurricane player; he can score at will and set up his teammates as well. Andrei Svechnikov is not as talented as Aho but still finished the season with 30 goals and 39 assists. Svechnikov often shares the ice with Teuvo Teravainen. Teravainen shoots a lot but is more known for his passing. His 43 assists are the second-most on his team.

The Hurricanes have a dicey situation in net. Starting goaltender Frederik Andersen is injured and will miss Game Three with a lower-body injury. The Hurricanes will likely put Antti Raanta in net again in Andersen’s place. Raanta has performed quite well in the first two games of this series but is not as consistent as Andersen. Raanta will be good enough for the rest of this series, but the Hurricanes will need to get Andersen back for the Second Round.

The Boston Bruins had a strong second half of the season that pushed them in the first Wild Card spot. Their second half success has not been replicated in the playoffs, as the Bruins have given up ten goals to the Hurricanes in the first two games and only scored three goals.

The Bruins do not have as much star power as the Hurricanes, but they have some impressive players in wingers Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak. Marchand played over 19 minutes a game this season and finished with 32 goals and 48 assists. Marchand pairs well with David Pastrnak, a savvy 25-year-old veteran. Pastrnak is Boston’s leading goal-scorer and finished with 40 goals.

Boston has a decent goaltending duo of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. Ullmark has played both games and not performed well, so I expect Swayman to get the start.

The Bruins will have home-ice advantage in this game, but the Hurricanes still outmatch them. This game will be closer than Games One and Two, but the Hurricanes will come away with the victory.

Head-to-Head: Carolina Hurricanes vs Boston Bruins

Why Might the Carolina Hurricanes Win?

The Carolina Hurricanes are the clear favorites but will improve their chances of winning if they overwhelm the Bruins with shots and come out aggressively.

The Bruins’ goaltenders has struggled in the first two games. Boston does not have elite goaltenders, but they have been underperforming in the playoffs. If you leave out the empty net goals, the Boston netminders have given up eight goals on 57 shots. I do not expect the Bruins’ goalies to play much better in Game Three, so Carolina should shoot the puck a lot.

The Bruins are probably nervous heading into Game Three down 2-0. The Hurricanes need to take advantage of this nervousness and come out aggressively. If the Hurricanes start the game with the right energy, they can take Boston out of the game before the second period.

Why Might the Boston Bruins Win?

The Boston Bruins need this win to give themselves a chance. However, they will only win if they draw penalties and slow down Sebastian Aho.

The Bruins have only scored three goals in two games. They need to give themselves better scoring chances by drawing penalties. This may be the only way they win the game.

Sebastian Aho is coming off a two-goal Game Two. The Bruins needs to slow him down and take him out of the picture. If they do, they will force Carolina to depend on other players.

Hurricanes Key Player: (D) Tony DeAngelo

Tony DeAngelo is without a goal in the playoffs but has four assists. DeAngelo does not need to score in Game Three (although it would help); he only needs to keep passing and playing smart hockey.

Bruins Key Player: (RW) David Pastrnak

David Pastrnak has had a rough two games with zero points and a +/- of -3. Pastrnak needs to get back on track in Game Three. During the season, he was Boston’s leading scorer and needs to put a few in the back of the net this game.

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