The New Jersey Devils didn’t show up to play in Game 1. The Carolina Hurricanes completely took the game to New Jersey, showing why they’re such a strong postseason team on home ice.
These are two of the better teams at 5-on-5, the Devils being stronger offensively and the Hurricanes more sound defensively.
Lindy Ruff will have to make some adjustments for the Devils to find success on the road, even though they were one of the better away teams in the NHL this season.
New Jersey has only won one of their last six games down in Raleigh, so the odds are not in their favor.
Find out my best bet in our free NHL picks and predictions for Hurricanes vs. Devils on May 5.
Devils vs Hurricanes Game 2 odds
Devils vs Hurricanes series odds
| Team | To win | Win in 4 | Win in 5 | Win in 6 | Win in 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Devils | +145 | N/A | +1,000 | +450 | +450 |
| Hurricanes | -170 | +800 | +425 | +450 | +425 |
Odds courtesy of DraftKings as of May 5
Devils vs Hurricanes Game 2 predictions
The New Jersey Devils have not been able to find much success against the Carolina Hurricanes recently. They’re 2-6 in their last eight meetings and they got completely outplayed in the opening game of the series.
Akira Schmid was the talk of the first round with how well he performed, but it appears that everyone has forgotten about Frederik Andersen.
Despite only appearing in two games this postseason, Andersen has looked solid in between the pipes for Carolina. In those two games, he’s skating to a .962 save percentage and a 0.95 goals against average. The Canes were one of the best defensive teams in the entire NHL during the regular season and they’ve continued that strong play into the postseason. They’re only allowing 2.29 goals against per game, while also skating to the best penalty kill percentage, at 95%.
I don’t see the Devils taking this game on the road against this very strong home team. I like the Canes to go up 2-0 in the series.
My best bet: Hurricanes moneyline (-115 at BetMGM)
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Devils vs Hurricanes Game 2 moneyline analysis
The Hurricanes have been knocking on the door of a deep Stanley Cup Playoffs run for a while now. There aren’t many teams in the NHL that play harder than this group and they feel that now is the time where they can truly get it done.
The narrative in these playoffs has been the success of the road teams, but Carolina hasn’t wavered at PNC Arena. The Canes are 3-1-0 on home ice thus far, and you could sense how electrifying the crowd was in Game 1.
The home team having the edge between these two teams has been a trend, as it’s 13-4 in the last 17 matchups.
The Hurricanes, despite missing some key players like Andrei Svechnikov, Max Pacioretty, and Teuvo Teravainen, have looked like a wagon in the early parts of the postseason simply because of how well they play a team game.
I can’t bet against them at home with how strong they are defensively. I think the Canes win again.
Devils vs Hurricanes Game 2 Over/Under analysis
The Hurricanes and Devils are both very strong defensive teams, but it was Carolina who was able to explode offensively in Game 1.
The Canes put up five goals, but I don’t see them sustaining that production throughout this series with how good the Devils have been in their own end this season.
The Hurricanes have only allowed four goals in their last three games, so I am anticipating them to be able to shut down the Devils once again.
New Jersey’s offense hasn’t been all that consistent in the playoffs thus far. It’s scored 2.25 goals per game, which is the lowest out of all playoff teams thus far.
Carolina is only averaging 3.00 goals per game, so neither team is really lighting up the scoreboard. I think the Devils will tighten up defensively and make this game a little more low-scoring.
Devils vs Hurricanes betting trend to know
The Hurricanes have won five out of the last six games between these two teams. Find more NHL betting trends for Devils vs. Hurricanes.
Devils vs Hurricanes Game 2 game info
| Location: | PNC Arena, Rauliegh, NC |
| Date: | Friday, May 5, 2023 |
| Puck drop: | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | TNT |
