The Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Islanders are coming back to Raleigh with a chance for the Canes to wrap up the series and knock out the Isles in five games.
The storyline for me in this series hasn’t changed. Both of these teams are extremely defensive-minded and I don’t see that changing in this game.
Sure, the Islanders might need to take some more risks since they’re down 3-1 in this series, but I don’t imagine that this game will be very high-scoring, especially in the early going.
Find out my best bet in our free NHL picks and predictions for Hurricanes vs. Islanders on April 25.
Islanders vs Hurricanes Game 5 odds
Islanders vs Hurricanes series odds
| Team | To win | Win in 5 | Win in 6 | Win in 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islanders | +750 | N/A | N/A | +750 |
| Hurricanes | -1,400 | -165 | +330 | +600 |
Odds courtesy of DraftKings as of April 25.
Islanders vs Hurricanes Game 5 predictions
The Carolina Hurricanes have been the clear-cut better team in this series, and tonight they have a chance to close it out at home, where they have almost looked unbeatable this year.
The New York Islanders have yet to score in the first 20 minutes of a game in this series. In three of the four games, the Hurricanes went into the first intermission with a 1-0 lead, and in the other game, neither team scored. The Islanders have now gone 24 straight playoff games without a first period lead.
The first period Under has hit in all four of the games so far in this series. In their last 10 games overall, the Islanders are averaging 0.40 goals for and 0.80 goals against in the first period, while the Canes are averaging 1.00 goals for and 0.50 goals against in the same frame.
One of the most interesting stats in this series is that the Over/Under for the game has gone Over in three of four games, but both teams have somewhat of a feeling-out process in the first period since that Under has hit in all four games.
I don’t expect anything to change for Game 5. I will continue to ride the best bet in sports.
My best bet: Under 1.5 goals first period (-145 at BetMGM)
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Islanders vs Hurricanes Game 5 moneyline analysis
A big part of me isn’t ready to count the New York Islanders out of this series. I know that the Hurricanes are an unbelievable team at home in the playoffs, but the closing game in a series is always the hardest, and I think they can put up a strong fight.
Ilya Sorokin will be back in the blue paint for the Islanders. He hasn’t been lights-out in this series, but he’s given his team a chance to win in most of these games. He and Antti Raanta have actually been more similar than different. Sorokin is skating to a .917 SV% and a 2.96 GAA, while Raanta is at a .915 SV% with a 2.46 GAA.
I’m not saying it’s a smart move to bet against the Hurricanes at home, as this team has done some good things, and they have definitely been the better team in the series. In my opinion, the Islanders just play too hard to go down easily like this, so I expect a very strong push back from them.
I would dabble with the Islanders moneyline at around +130.
Islanders vs Hurricanes Game 5 Over/Under analysis
Like I said before, the Over has hit in three out of the four games in this series thus far, but there is one variable that is different now. This is an elimination game.
Elimination games are a completely different animal. They are played with more intensity, urgency, and desperation which is exactly what I am expecting to see from the New York Islanders.
The goaltending in this series has been strong on both sides, and with the intensity of the elimination game, I expect it to be even better. I would lean with the Under.
Furthermore, one of those Overs felt like a fluke, as the Isles scored four goals in a historic 2:18 in the third period to turn a 1-1 game into a 5-1 win in Game 3.
Islanders vs Hurricanes betting trend to know
The first period Under has hit in every game this series. Find more NHL betting trends for Islanders vs. Hurricanes.
Islanders vs Hurricanes Game 5 game info
| Location: | PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC |
| Date: | Tuesday, April 25, 2023 |
| Puck drop: | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | ESPN |
