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The New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes meet in Game 6 of a best-of-7 Eastern Conference, 2nd-round-series Thursday. The Rangers lead the series 3-2. Puck drop from PNC Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (TNT). Below, we analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the Rangers vs. Hurricanes odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
The Hurricanes staved off elimination once again Monday, defeating New York 4-1 at Madison Square Garden in Game 5. The Rangers led 1-0 after 40 minutes, but Carolina responded with goals from C Jordan Staal, C Evgeny Kuznetsov and LW Jordan Martinook, as well as RW Martin Necas who scored on an empty net.
Former Hurricanes C Vincent Trocheck leads New York with 5 goals during the postseason, with LW Chris Kreider, LW Alexis Lafreniere, and LW Artemi Panarin tied in 2nd with 4 goals each.
C Sebastian Aho enters Game 6 with the Carolina team lead in points (10), and all have come at even strength. Aho is 6th all-time in goals scored (26) amongst Finnish players in Stanley Cup Playoff history.
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Rangers at Hurricanes odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:35 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Rangers +140 (bet $100 to win $140) | Hurricanes -170 (bet $170 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Rangers +1.5 (-192) | Hurricanes -1.5 (+158)
- Over/Under (O/U): 5.5 (O: +100 | U: -122)
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Rangers at Hurricanes projected goalies
Igor Shesterkin (7-2, 2.33 GAA, .924 SV%) vs. Frederik Andersen (6-3, 2.46 GAA, .902 SV%)
Shesterkin stopped 24 shots Monday and allowed 3 or more goals for a 2nd straight game (4th time this series). He has started all 36 playoff games for the Rangers in the past 3 years.
Andersen stopped 20 of 21 shots in Game 5, and the only goal he allowed was shorthanded to Rangers captain D Jacob Trouba. The 34-year-old has started 9 of 10 games for Carolina this postseason, getting Game 3 off in place of G Pyotr Kochetkov, as coach Rod Brind’Amour believed Freddy needed rest after the Rangers’ double-OT loss in Game 2.
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Rangers at Hurricanes picks and predictions
Prediction
Rangers 4, Hurricanes 3
Moneyline
BET RANGERS (+140).
These teams are so evenly matched that I would much rather take the plus money on the road team with the superior goaltender.
C Mika Zibanejad, the playoff points leader (13) for the Rangers, was held off the scoresheet for the 1st time this postseason in Game 5. That snapped an 8-game assist streak to start the playoffs, and only Bobby Orr in 1972 had a longer assist streak (11 games).
With Kreider potentially not 100%, expect the 31-year-old Zibanejad to elevate his game and lead his team to the Eastern Conference Final.
Puck line/Against the spread
Consider including Rangers +1.5 (-192) in a parlay.
Laying (-192) on the Blueshirts +1.5 as a single bet is too much. However, if you are into building parlays, pairing the Rangers +1.5 (-192) with the Florida Panthers (-154 at Boston Bruins, Friday at 7 p.m. ET) pays out +151 and provides a 2-night sweat.
Over/Under
BET OVER 5.5 (+100).
Carolina has attempted the most shots on goal in the playoffs (285) while also netting the most rebound goals (3) amongst Eastern Conference teams. Four of the 5 games in this series have been 1-goal games, so the potential for OT is certainly there, as is the possibility of empty-net goals with Carolina’s season on the line.
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