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The Carolina Hurricanes are a -170 favorite to beat the Washington Capitals in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
With odds that wide, you’d think that the Canes boasted a superior resume compared to the Caps. The opposite is true.
Washington finished 12 points and 23 goals ahead of Carolina in the regular season, and the Capitals were never really under threat of losing their grip on the division title after Halloween.
It was a dominant season from Washington, and yet the Capitals are the decided underdog in this best-of-7 series.
Do the bookies have this one wrong?
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Hurricanes vs. Capitals Game 1 betting preview
Carolina’s system is all about pressure and chaos. The Canes play an aggressive brand of defense that is built to pressure puck-carriers into making mistakes.
When the Canes have the puck, they want to do everything in their power to funnel it on net to create rebounds and havoc in front of their opponents’ net.
This is not a new development. Carolina has played this way ever since Rod Brind’Amour took over as head coach in 2018.
And while the Canes have been a force in the regular season under Brind’Amour, they’ve struggled to put it all together and get to their first Stanley Cup Final since 2006.
Carolina’s flaws are also not new. Their goaltending runs hot and cold, and their offense has lacked star players who can wreck a game on their own. The Canes have to work quite hard to create scoring chances, and if they make mistakes or let in a soft goal, it can create a hill too steep to climb, especially against strong defensive teams.
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Hurricanes vs. Capitals Game 1 pick
The Hurricanes were at their swarming best against the Devils in Round 1, but New Jersey was missing several key players and was overmatched.
This series will look quite different, as Washington has the structure, defensive prowess and goaltending needed to overcome Carolina’s chaotic brand of hockey.
Washington is clearly the value side in Game 1 and beyond.
The Play: Capitals (+104, Bet365)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
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