We have loved the action throughout this impressive NHL regular season and first round of the playoffs, but now we are entering the second round, with a spot in the Conference Finals up for grabs. We are sure to see the cracking playoffs continue in Round 2, and with the Lightning still alive, many high quality teams will be looking to stop them from winning the Stanley Cup for a third time in a row. But before we get to the Stanley Cup Final, teams must make it through the second round.
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Look below to find our free NHL picks for the one Round 2 game on today’s schedule!
Carolina Hurricanes @ New York Rangers – 8.00PM ET
The Carolina Hurricanes inched themselves one game away from the Conference Finals with a win in Game 5 at home, 3-1. The New York Rangers are in a must win situation tonight at home if they want to push this series all the way out to seven games.
Marko Nadin
The Carolina Hurricanes are one win away from reaching the Eastern Conference Finals and will have a chance to advance tonight when they visit Madison Square Garden. The New York Rangers already faced three elimination games in the opening round against the Pittsburgh Penguins are survived all of them but that may not be the case tonight against Carolina. All five games so far in the series finished under 5.5 goals and all five were won by the home team. All that will change tonight as the Carolina Hurricanes will dominate this game and advance to the conference finals.
Carolina has won 7 of the last 10 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game, 18 of the last 24 Conference Semifinals games and 58 of the last 81 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game. The Rangers have won the last 5 Playoff games as favorites, 12 of the last 16 games played on Saturday and 41 of the last 61 home games.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Carolina Hurricanes (-114)
Tony Battalio
The Carolina Hurricanes are one win away from grabbing another series victory during this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. They are heading into game five at Madison Square Garden needing a win to end this series in six games. They have been one of the best teams in the National Hockey League all season long and they will control home ice advantage throughout the remainder of this round and the Eastern Conference Finals if they were to advance.
The New York Rangers may be one of the hardest teams to beat at home throughout the first two rounds of this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. They will have to use that to their advantage in this one as they are facing a must win situation tonight in game number six at home. The Rangers have been one of the biggest surprises of the year and their Cinderella run may be coming to an end in this one. As for the result of this game however, I don’t see that happening as I have the Rangers getting the victory here to force another game number seven.
Tony’s NHL Pick: New York Rangers (-105)
Jeffery Thomas
The Carolina Hurricanes are now just one game from advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals but will have to get their first win away from home in order to do so. The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning await the winner and if it is the Canes, it would be their fifth appearance in franchise history to the Conference Finals. As good as Carolina played to get this 3-2 lead in the series, it’s hard for me to see them coming into Madison Square Garden and closing things out.
The Rangers are a much better team at home and goalie Igor Shesterkin just turns into the best goalie in the entire league. The Canes have also been outscored 21-8 on the road but I’d like to think their best effort away from home ice is yet to come. It’s hard to predict that here though, which is why I think we get the New York Rangers forcing a Game 7 back in Raleigh, North Carolina on Monday.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: New York Rangers (-105)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
