NHL playoff best bets: Islanders vs. Hurricanes Game 2 odds, preview, prediction for Monday 4/22

Islanders vs. Hurricanes Odds

Monday, April 22, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2

Odds via bet365. Get up-to-the-minute NHL odds here.

New York Islanders

Game 1 was reminiscent of last year’s series between these two teams (a six-game set in which the Islanders suffered two overtime losses) in the sense that New York didn’t look at all overmatched despite being significant underdogs.

If anything, the Islanders may have been the better overall team on Saturday.

New York outshot the Hurricanes 34-26, a rare feat for Carolina’s opponents, thanks largely to a rather dominant second period in which the Isles recorded 13 shots compared to the Hurricanes’ six. But the Islanders’ inability to find the back of the net in the second frame proved costly.

The Isles' strong start to the third period ultimately won them the game, but they still managed to finish Game 1 with a respectable 47.67 xGF% at 5-on-5 and just a 9-7 disadvantage when it came to high-danger chances.

Semyon Varlamov, who got the nod ahead over Ilya Sorokin, was good but unspectacular between the pipes. The 35-year-old surrendered two goals on 25 shots, saving 0.77 goals above expectation. I expect Patrick Roy to go back to the trusty netminder on Monday.

To avoid heading to UBS Arena in a 2-0 hole, the Islanders will need more from their top line. The Casey Cizikas, Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal trio posted a 42.70 xGF% at 5-on-5 on Saturday and was on the ice for three scoring chances for and six against.

Carolina Hurricanes

For the red-hot Hurricanes, Game 1 was likely a bit of a wake-up call. Even with Jake Guentzel in the fold, the Islanders won’t be an easy out for Carolina. Nonetheless, it’s undoubtedly reassuring for the Hurricanes that they were able to take care of business in a game in which they weren’t at their best. As a result, Carolina is in the driver’s seat heading into Game 2.

The biggest story for the Hurricanes on Saturday was goaltender Frederik Andersen. After missing the majority of the season with a blood-clotting issue, the 34-year-old has been superb since rejoining the team in March.
Andersen finished the regular season with a 13-2-0 record, a 1.84 GAA and a .932 SV%.

On Saturday he picked up right where he left off, stopping 33 of 34 shots and 1.06 goals above expected. Andersen was similarly strong in last year’s playoffs, posting a 1.83 GAA and a .927 SV% across nine starts. If the Hurricanes continue to receive this level of goaltending, which was not the case for much of the regular season, they’re going to be an extremely difficult out.

Goaltending aside, Carolina will be looking to put together a more complete performance on Monday. The Hurricanes showed how dominant they can be in Game 1, but they did so only in spurts.

If they’re going to leave Carolina with a 2-0 lead, the Canes likely need a 60-minute performance against an Islanders team that has faced plenty of adversity this season and isn’t going to roll over.

Islanders vs. Hurricanes

Betting Pick & Prediction

I'm going back to the well on the first period under.

In last year's six-game series between these two teams, Under 1.5 first-period goals hit in every game. But after Saturday's first period saw two total goals, I'm expecting a tighter opening frame in Game 2.

With the way both of these goaltenders are playing and the Islanders looking to avoid falling behind, Monday's first period should be low-event as these teams continue to feel each other out.

This series should continue to be a defensive battle, and I wouldn't be surprised if the total for Game 3 is set at 5.

Pick: Under 1.5 First Period Goals (-120 at bet365)