New York Rangers vs Carolina Hurricanes Game 5 Predictions

• The New York Rangers won Games Three and Four in this series.
• The Carolina Hurricanes won Games One and Two in this series.
• The Rangers have outscored the Hurricanes 8-6 in this series.

New York Rangers vs Carolina Hurricanes Odds

Odds taken from DraftKings Sportsbook.

New York Rangers vs Carolina Hurricanes Picks

Carolina Hurricanes beat New York Rangers 3-2

New York Rangers cover

Under 5.5 goals

The Carolina Hurricanes will attempt to gain a 3-2 lead in this Playoff battle. This has been a low-scoring series with only 14 combined goals being scored in four games,  and Carolina has played better at home. The Hurricanes won their two home games before losing two games on the road.

The New York Rangers have surprised the Hurricanes with strong defensive play. They are allowing 1.5 goals per game in this series after allowing almost 2.5 goals per game during the season. Their impressive defensive play is due in large part to Adam Fox. Fox, a top defenseman in the league, is playing over 27 minutes a game and leading New York’s top defensive line.

The Rangers’ offense has been slow in this series. However, Mika Zibanejad has had some strong games, totaling two goals and one assist in Games Three and Four. As great as Zibanejad is, the Rangers will need Chris Kreider and Artemi Panarin to be more involved in this tough road battle.

Igor Shesterkin has played well in the Playoffs, but his numbers have dipped from the regular season. He is giving up 0.7 more goals per game, and his save percentage has dropped from .935 to .925.

The Carolina Hurricanes are undefeated at home but have not won a game on the road. That is a great sign for this game but may give them trouble in their Game Six road battle.

The Hurricanes’ offense has been stifled in this series, but they have a handful of players that proved they can score during the season. Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov only have seven combined goals in the playoffs but combined for 67 goals during the season. In addition to these two, Teuvo Teravainen, Vincent Trochek, and Nino Niederreiter combined for another 67 goals. Even though Carolina has only scored six games in these games, they have the ability to get their offense going with this group of scorers.

Antti Raanta has taken over the goaltender reigns with the injury of Frederik Andersen. He has excelled in this role with his .931 save percentage and been the key to Carolina’s Playoff success.

The Hurricanes have not lost a home Playoff game, so I expect them to win this game. They are much better at home, which is enough for them to win.

Head-to-Head: New York Rangers vs Carolina Hurricanes

Why Might the New York Rangers Win?

The New York Rangers are the underdogs in this road battle but will win if they slow down Sebastian Aho and draw penalties.

The Hurricanes have not had any stars in this series, but Sebastian Aho has been their best player. Aho had two goals and one assist in Carolina’s two previous home games. Aho is a skilled scorer and dangerous passer, so the Rangers’ defense needs to make him priority #1 and always try to slow him down.

The Rangers have been killers on the power-play in the Playoffs. They have scored eight goals on 30 power-plays and over 20% of their goals have come with a man advantage. New York has to continue drawing penalties and build a lead off power-plays.

Why Might the Carolina Hurricanes Win?

The Hurricanes are the favorites and won their two previous home games, so they should be in good shape to win Game Five. However, they will only do so if they slow down Adam Fox and score the first goal.

Adam Fox is the Rangers’ top defenseman and playing over 27 minutes a game during the Playoffs. He is proving his value in the Playoffs with his four goals and nine assists. With that being said, the Hurricanes have to slow him down and make him work for his shots. If they slow down Fox, they will slow down the whole Rangers’ offense.

Carolina has not lost a home game in the Playoffs and will likely win this one if they score the first goal. The crowd will fuel them to another victory and a 3-2 lead if they strike first.

Rangers Key Player: (C) Andrew Copp

Andrew Copp has performed very well in the Playoffs. He has five goals and five assists and is coming off a one-goal, two-assist performance in the Game Four.

Copp is playing over 20 minutes a game in the Playoffs and needs to come out aggressive this time around. The Rangers only scored one goal in their first game in Raleigh and need Copp to provide them with offense in the matchup.

Hurricanes Key Player:  (G) Antti Raanta

Antti Raanta has been given the goaltending keys in the Playoffs and has not disappointed.

Raanta only allows a little over two goals a game and needs to continue being a brick wall in Game Five. If Raanta performs well, Carolina should have no problem leaving Raleigh victorious.

How to Watch New York Rangers vs Carolina Hurricanes