Ryan Hodges
The first round of these Stanley Cup Playoffs ended with a bang, and it was only fitting that the 2nd round started in dramatic fashion as well. With the games becoming more important by the day, the action should only intensify. The first of 2 games tonight will be Game 1 between the Hurricanes and Capitals, who both made fairly quick work of their first-round opponents. This has the makings of a very entertaining series for the right to go to the conference finals. If you will be tuning in and want to join the action, here is our Hurricanes vs Capitals Same Game Parlay at +600 odds. You can also find out our NHL picks on the side and total for this matchup as well as Oilers vs Golden Knights.
Capitals ML (+105)
Over 5.5 (-125)
Tom Wilson anytime goalscorer (+235)
Hurricanes vs Capitals Same Game Parlay odds: +600
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Washington Capitals ML over Carolina Hurricanes (+105)
There is a very thin margin of error between these teams, which should make for a great series. But what looks to give the Capitals the edge in this matchup is home-ice advantage. Home ice has been very good to the Capitals all season and recent play is no exception. They have been excellent at home. Washington’s regular-season home record was 26-9-6. In these playoffs, they have already won 3 games at home by an average score of 3.33-1.33. Home ice has made a significant difference in these playoffs for a few teams thus far. The Caps could be yet another example.
What amplifies Washington’s home-ice advantage is Carolina’s performances as a road team this year. The Hurricanes were an unremarkable 16-21-4 on the road during the regular season. That record ranked 22nd in the NHL among road teams. The Hurricanes enter this game having reinforced those trends, as they have lost 7 of their last 8 played on the road. Carolina did not have the most difficult path to the 2nd round and now has to play a Washington team that finished 2nd in the NHL with 111 points, which was 12 more than the Hurricanes. The Capitals are worth the play as a plus-money home underdog.
Read our full Hurricanes vs Capitals prediction for Game 1 tonight
Over 5.5 (-125)
The Hurricanes and Capitals split the season series with 2 wins each in the 4 games played. In those 4 games, there were 25 totals goals scored for an average game total of 6.25. Of those matchups, Over 5.5 would have hit in 3 of the 4 played. The higher totals are not the most surprising considering the Capitals scored the 2nd-most goals in the NHL this season, while the Hurricanes ranked a respectable 9th in the league in that category. Any game that features at least 1 team that on average scores a near 3.5 goals per game will typically give the Over a better look.
In a smaller sample size in these playoffs, both Carolina and Washington have increased their average goals scored per game to 3.80 and 3.60 respectively. They share an average game total through 5 games of 6.0 total goals. If averages hold from both the regular season and playoffs for both then Over 5.5 has plenty of appeal. These are a couple of offensively talented teams that are both fresh from a week’s break after their quick first-round series wins. With that, this may be yet another fast-paced, higher-scoring game played between Carolina and Washington.
Tom Wilson anytime goalscorer (+235)
While the Capitals did make quick work of the Canadiens in the first round, Montreal was just over a half-period away from knotting the series at 2-2. That was before Tom Wilson laid a potentially series-altering hit which directly led to a Washington game-tying goal. They would win that Game 4 and close the series out in Game 5. The impact Wilson has in any given game, and now series, goes beyond the physical play. While the physical play is a significant factor, Wilson contributes offensively as well which makes him a key factor in this series.
Entering this game, Tom Wilson has 2 goals and 5 points in Washington’s first 5 games played of the postseason. He is also +3 with an average of 20:00 minutes of ice time, which is the most among Capitals forwards by a full 2:30. If there was any doubt that head coach Spencer Carbery relies on Wilson to help his team win, those doubts should be long gone. This is a guy who tallied 33 goals this season and 65 points in 81 games played. With that, Wilson has rightfully earned a spot on Washington’s top 6 and top power play. In the opening game of a higher-pressure series, look for Wilson to make a statement and make his presence known with both physical play and production.
