Carolina Hurricanes vs Boston Bruins Game 1 Prediction and Betting Odds

Carolina Hurricanes vs Boston Bruins Betting Preview

The puck drops on the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Monday, May 2. WagerTalk NHL handicapper Kevin Dolan offers his thoughts on Game 1 of the Carolina Hurricanes vs Boston Bruins series in Raleigh.

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Monday, May 2	NHL Betting Notes, Courtesy of Caesars
Moneyline:	Carolina Hurricanes -110 vs Boston Bruins -110
Puckline:	Hurricanes -1.5 (+230) / Bruins +1.5 (-260)
Total:	5.5 Goals (Over -115 / Under -105)
Game Time:	7:00pm ET / 4:00pm PT
Arena:	PNC Arena in Raleigh
TV:	ESPN

Carolina Hurricanes vs Boston Bruins Game 1 Analysis

The Boston Bruins and the Carolina Hurricanes clash in the first of the conference quarterfinals later tonight with the Hurricanes winning six-straight games to close out the regular season and enter Monday’s matchup in red-hot form.

The Bruins also closed out the season strong with a 4-1 mark over their final five games but haven’t fared so well against the Hurricanes of late, dropping all three of their head-to-head matchups this season.

Bruins Get Swept Up In The Hurricane

While the Bruins have had a solid season overall, that recent head-to-head record against Carolina will be a major cause for concern here, not just in terms of the record itself but also in the manner in which it was delivered.

Back-to-back six goal victories for Carolina over Boston in both January and February has seen the Hurricanes outscore the Bruins 16-1 over their recent three game series this season, so priority No. 1 for the Bruins tonight will be to try and limit Carolina’s offense in this one.

Carolina Looks To Erase Memory Of Last Season

Carolina, one of last season’s premier offensive teams, know all too well how dangerous a contented mindset is ahead of a crucial playoff series.

The Hurricanes entered last season’s playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the league, ranking top-ten in goals, shots and expected goals and averaged 4.4 goals per game in their opening series victory over Nashville, coincidentally the exact same goal average in which they closed out this year’s regular season with also.

However, that offense deserted them in the second round against Tampa with the Hurricanes averaging just 1.8 goals per game in that series and they’ll be eager not to repeat history again later tonight.

Carolina Hurricanes vs Boston Bruins Game 1 Prediction

Boston got taken out to the woodshed this season by the Carolina Hurricanes but we don’t expect that to be the case again here tonight.

First, Boston are a much improved team from the one we saw back in January and February and the numbers are finally starting to back that up.

The Boston Bruins rank No. 1 in the league this season on overall expected goals against, but have been getting unlucky in patches this season, sporting a -25 expected goal differential, third-worst in the league.

Boston has allowed the third-fewest shots on goal this season also (Carolina is No. 1) along with the fourth-fewest goals against average as well (again, Carolina is No. 1), but those defensive numbers should be even better for Boston as their shots to goal percentage is over a full percentage point higher than the likes of the New York Rangers this season as luck just hasn’t gone their way.

We expect that to change here tonight however and we like the value on the under 5.5 goals on Monday between Boston and Carolina in their conference quarterfinal matchup.

NHL Betting Guide

Thanks to the ever-expanding sports betting industry, there are now a variety of ways to attack the betting market outside of the traditional point spreads, moneylines and totals. Few sports have seen an increase of betting popularity like hockey, and we now have several different ways to wager on the NHL and international leagues. Check out our NHL Betting Guide with helpful terms and tips for novice bettors.

Puck Time | NHL Predictions for May 2

Join Carmine Bianco and Andrew McInnis for Monday’s edition of Puck Time as our panel of professional hockey handicappers break down tonight’s NHL playoff betting card. Carolina won six straight to close the regular season. Can the ‘Canes keep their run going in tonight’s playoff opener against Boston? Join the Puck Time crew every week day at 11am ET / 8am PT as we discuss the NHL betting slate from a variety of handicapping angles.

WagerTalk Live Odds Screen

WagerTalk’s live odds screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the NHL moneylines, puck lines and betting percentages for all of Monday’s playoff games, including this Carolina Hurricanes vs Boston Bruins showdown, from your desktop or phone.

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Meet the Author

‘The sharpest sports mind in Ireland’ is how one prominent newspaper dubbed Kevin Dolan after he became the first foreigner ever to win the World Series of Handicapping tournament back in 2015. “The Irishman” made his start wagering on GAA, football, soccer and boxing, all to immense success. Since becoming a professional bettor, he has since lit up the sports betting scene in the U.S. and abroad, winning two handicapping awards and writing a best-selling book on sports handicapping named ‘The Complete Guide to Sports Betting’.

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