Devils vs Hurricanes Game 5 Odds, Picks, and Predictions: Devils Cast Out by Canes

The New Jersey Devils and Carolina Hurricanes continue their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semifinals series in Game 5 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC on Thursday night. 

The Devils were pushed to the brink of elimination after getting smacked down at home by a 6-1 score, as the Over connected for the fourth time in as many games.

The Hurricanes rebounded from a blowout loss in Game 3, posting five goals in the second period alone.

Can the Devils stay alive and force the series back to New Jersey, or will the Hurricanes be able to blow their way into the Eastern Conference Finals? We’ll discuss in our NHL betting picks for Devils vs. Hurricanes on Thursday, May 11.

Devils vs Hurricanes Game 5 odds

Devils vs Hurricanes series odds

Odds courtesy of bet365 as of May 11.

Devils vs Hurricanes Game 5 predictions

The Devils won a wild Game 3 by an 8-4 score despite allowing three shorthanded goals. The home team was 3-for-3 in the first three games, and New Jersey had a chance to level up. They didn’t.

Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour pulled starting goaltender Frederik Andersen in Game 3, but he stuck with the veteran in Game 4, and the move paid big dividends. Andersen allowed just a single goal on 22 shots to move Carolina within one game of advancing.

Andersen has made five starts in the postseason, allowing a single goal in four of his five appearances while going 4-1.

The Devils haven’t had close to the same kind of stability in the crease at any point of this postseason. Vitek Vanecek started the first two games against the New York Rangers before being benched. Rookie Akira Schmid won three straight starts, and four of the final games of the Rangers series, and he looked like treasure.

However, after getting pounded for seven goals on just 36 shots in two starts in Games 1 and 2 in Raleigh, he went from treasure to trash. Vanecek took back over in Game 3, and he won, although he coughed up four goals on 30 shots. He was pulled in Game 4, allowing five goals on 17 shots, and neither he nor Schmid have given the Devils anything close to what could be called consistency.

The Hurricanes find themselves in the same spot they were in during the quarterfinals round, as they lead their series against the New York Islanders 3-1 heading into Game 5 at home. And they lost. Can the Canes win an elimination game on home ice? They did it the hard way in the opening round, but the Devils just haven’t really challenged the Hurricanes at all in the two previous games in Raleigh.

Look for the Hurricanes to get it done, sending the Devils to the handshake line, while punching their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals against the winner of the Florida Panthers-Toronto Maple Leafs series.

My best bet: Hurricanes moneyline (-125 at BetMGM)

Devils vs Hurricanes Game 5 moneyline analysis

It’s been feast or famine for the Devils, not only in this series, but for the entirety of the postseason. It has scored exactly one goal in each of the three losses against the Hurricanes, while they blew up for eight goals in Game 3.

Each of the four games in this series have been decided by four or more goals, too, with the NHL odds favorite going 3-1 straight up. The lone exception was Game 4, as the underdog Hurricanes easily cashed.

For Carolina, it is 4-1 on home ice in these playoffs, but it has covered the puck line just once in four tries as a home favorite in the postseason.

If you were to bet the puck line, the lean would be to New Jersey, as the Devils should be able to bring the intensity with their backs against the wall and the season on the line. However, backing New Jersey on the puck line is quite expensive, with very little value. Instead, just stick with the Canes straight up.

Devils vs Hurricanes Game 5 Over/Under analysis

Both the Devils and the Hurricanes play tremendous defense. In the regular season, Carolina allowed just 2.6 goals per game, second in the NHL, while also checking in No. 2 on the penalty kill at 84.4%. It was also No. 1 in shots against with 26.

For the Devils, they were a respectable No. 8 in goals against (2.7), while ranking No. 5 in shots against (28.2) and No. 4 on the kill (82.6%). So, naturally, we’ve had the Over cash in all four games, with the winning team scoring at least six goals in each of the past three games.

Sometimes, you can look at stats and trends, but you simply need to exhibit common sense.

Like we saw on Wednesday night with the Maple Leafs facing elimination, they circled the wagons, played a careful game, sacrificed their bodies and paid the price with their season on the line. I expect to see the same kind of urgency from the Devils, with a more calculated effort on the offensive line so as not to cough the puck up, giving the Canes a chance the other way. And Carolina should also be more careful, so as not to allow New Jersey to have anything positive to build upon.

Defense should be the name of the game, and we’ll get our first Under in Game 5. Pair that with a Hurricanes moneyline play for a solid parlay opportunity.

Devils vs Hurricanes betting trend to know

The Devils are just 1-6 in the past seven trips to Raleigh. Find more NHL betting trends for Devils vs. Hurricanes.

Devils vs Hurricanes Game 5 game info

Devils vs Hurricanes Game 5 injuries

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