Carolina Hurricanes vs New York Rangers Game 1 Prediction and Betting Odds

Hurricanes vs Rangers Game 1 Preview

WagerTalk NHL handicapper Kevin Dolan offers his thoughts on Game 1 of the Carolina Hurricanes vs New York Rangers Eastern Conference semifinals. Carolina won three of the four meetings between the two teams during the regular season.

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Wednesday, May 18	NHL Betting Notes, Courtesy of Caesars
Moneyline:	Carolina Hurricanes -165 vs New York Rangers +145
Puckline:	Hurricanes -1.5 (+155) / Rangers +1.5 (-175)
Total:	5.5 Goals (Over -120 / Under EV)
Game Time:	7:00pm ET / 4:00pm PT
Arena:	PNC Arena in Raleigh
TV:	ESPN

Carolina Hurricanes vs New York Rangers Analysis

The puck drops on Game 1 of the conference semifinals tonight between the New York Rangers and the Carolina Hurricanes, with both teams looking to stake their claim as the No. 1 team in the East.

The Rangers polished off the Pittsburgh Penguins in the last round after being down 3-1 in that series with a phenomenal comeback over the final three games in order to advance.

Similarly, the Carolina Hurricanes had to overcome some adversity in their first round series against the Boston Bruins as well, getting the better of the Bruins in a thrilling Game 7 showdown in Raleigh to book their place in the second round also.

New York Continues To Dominate The Power Play

Only the Toronto Maple Leafs, St. Louis Blues and the Edmonton Oilers had a higher power play percentage than the Rangers this season, with Rangers left winger Chris Kreider averaging the highest number of power play goals in the league this year.

On top of that, Krieder scored a career high 52 goals during the regular season, along with having the most game-winning goals in the league also. This New York Rangers offense will no doubt look to him to be a major focal point for them in Raleigh tonight.

PNC Arena Fortress

The Carolina Hurricanes have been in exceptional form inside PNC Arena this season. Finishing off the regular season with an impressive 29-8-4 mark at home, they followed that up by winning all of their home games in the last round against the Boston Bruins, outscoring the Bruins 18-6 over those home matches as well.

On top of that, the Hurricanes have a stellar record in this role tonight, going 41-14 in their last 55 games when entering in as a home favorite.

Carolina Hurricanes vs New York Rangers Game 1 Prediction

We’re going to look towards taking goals in this one tonight and more specifically the over 5.5 at -120.

The New York Rangers have averaged 4 goals per game over the playoffs so far (third-highest in the league) and face a team in Carolina tonight that averages the highest shots-to-goal percentage in the playoffs at 11.65%.

On top of that, Carolina ranked second in the league this season on high-danger shot creation, while the New York Rangers ranked fourth on high-danger conversion percentage as well.

Both of these teams have shown a real ability to score this season and that’s where we’re going to look in Game 1 tonight. Take the over 5.5 goals in Raleigh between the Rangers and the Hurricanes on Wednesday.

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 18

Join Andrew McInnis, Carmine Bianco and The Prez for Wednesday’s edition of Puck Time as our panel of professional hockey handicappers break down tonight’s NHL playoff betting card. The Rangers and Hurricanes met three times over the last five weeks of the regular season, so there’s plenty of familiarity between these Metro Division foes. Join the Puck Time crew every week day 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 the NHL playoff action, including this Carolina Hurricanes vs New York Rangers 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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