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The Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders meet in Game 3 of a best-of-7 Eastern Conference 1st-round series Thursday in New York. The Hurricanes lead the series 2-0. Puck drop from UBS Arena is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Hurricanes vs. Islanders odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
The Islanders looked great for half of Game 2 on Monday, and it was in good shape all the way until halfway into the 3rd period, up 3-1. That’s when the floodgates opened, and New York had a brutal collapse that might be difficult to forget.
Kyle Palmieri and Bo Horvat scored a pair of even-strength goals in the 1st period, and the latter was a killer at 19:45, giving the visitors a 2-0 lead. PNC Arena was uncharacteristically quiet, sans for the smattering for New Yorkers holding tickets. Anders Lee scored a power-play goal at 3:54 of the 2nd period, and the Canes looked to be in trouble.
Teuvo Teravainen struck for a power-play goal 10 minutes later in the 2nd period on a selfless pass from Jake Guentzel in front of Semyon Varlamov‘s cage, and Carolina suddenly had life.
It remained 3-1 until 10:43 of the 3rd period when Seth Jarvis scored. He posted an assist on Sebastian Aho‘s goal at 17:45, as the Canes tied it, and then just 9 seconds later, it was a “Marty Party”, as Jordan Martinook scored at 17:54 to give Carolina a 4-3 lead. Guentzel added an empty-net goal, and what looked like a sure win for the Islanders, turned to dust, and an 0-2 series hole.
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Hurricanes at Islanders odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:03 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Hurricanes -160 (bet $160 to win $100) | Islanders +135 (bet $100 to win $135)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Hurricanes -1.5 (+155) | Islanders +1.5 (-190)
- Over/Under (O/U): 5.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
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Hurricanes at Islanders projected goalies
Frederik Andersen (13-2-0, 1.84 GAA, .932 SV%, 3 SO in regular season) vs. Ilya Sorokin (25-19-12, 3.01 GAA, .909 SV%, 2 SO in regular season)
Andersen has allowed just 4 goals on 46 shots in this series, good for a 2-0-0 record, 2.02 GAA and .913 SV% in the 2 games. It’s been a tale of 2 games, too, as he kicked aside 33 of 34 shots in Game 1, while allowing 3 goals on just 12 shots for the entirety of Game 2. The Islanders have to take some positives from the fact they scored on 25% of their shots last time out.
Sorokin is confirmed to make his 1st start of the series, as coach Patrick Roy, who knows a thing or two about postseason goaltending, shifts from Semyon Varlamov. The 35-year-old Varlamov is 0-2-0 with a 3.03 GAA and .905 SV% in 2 games in this series.
Sorokin allowed 3 goals on 33 shots in a 4-1 home loss to the Hurricanes on March 19, but he made 36 saves in a 5-4 win in Raleigh on Dec. 23, and he made 42 saves in a wild 4-3 OTL against the Hurricanes on Nov. 4 at UBS Arena.
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Hurricanes at Islanders picks and predictions
Prediction
Islanders 3, Hurricanes 2
Moneyline
The ISLANDERS (+135) are back in front of the home fans for Game 3, and that could be enough to turn the tide in their favor.
New York looked good for most of Game 2, holding a 3-1 leading into the midway portion of the 3rd period before folding like a tent. If it can maintain focus, and Sorokin and the home crowd can give them a bump, New York can still make this a series.
Puck line/Against the spread
The Islanders +1.5 (-190) are too expensive on the puck line, costing you nearly 2 times your potential return. If you need a little insurance, and just can’t pick New York straight up, it isn’t worth it.
PASS.
Over/Under
UNDER 5.5 (-115) is worth a play in Game 3.
We had a lower-scoring Game 1, with just 4 goals on the board. Game 2 was shaping up as an Under result, too, before the floodgates opened and we had 4 goals from Carolina in the 3rd period to flip things to the Over.
The total has gone low in 2 of the past 3 skates at UBS Arena between these teams, including the only regular-season meeting on March 19 on Long Island. The most recent playoff meeting at UBS Arena, Game 6 of the 1st round last season, also cashed Under.
The windows are open, North Carolina!
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