As we move into the second half of the season in the NHL, we are beginning to get a much clearer idea of which teams are likely to be fighting for playoff spots all the way to the finish. With the trade deadline also fast approaching, we are going to start seeing some teams make moves in hopes of making that final push for playoff. There are a bunch of teams, though, who are not very likely to get anywhere near the playoff line, and those may be the teams who are willing to move some players on in hopes of starting their rebuilding efforts right now.
You hate to state that teams are going to miss the playoffs with so many games still to come, but the Anaheim Ducks look to be on the outs, especially given the current state of the Pacific Division. They are well off the pace in the division, but they will be looking to try and start closing the gap on Friday night when they hit the road to face the Carolina Hurricanes. Carolina are favored by 1 ½, with the goal total for this one set at 5 ½.
Ducks vs Hurricanes 2020 NHL Odds, Game Info & Prediction
- When: Friday, January 17 at 7:30 PM EST
- Where: PNC Arena, Charlotte
- TV: ESPN
- Radio: SiriusXM
- Live Stream: NHL.tv
- NHL Odds: Carolina Hurricanes -1.5
Why bet on the Anaheim Ducks?
It wasn’t so very long ago that the Anaheim Ducks were one of the best teams in the Western Conference, but they are definitely on a downward trend over the last few seasons. The currently find themselves near the bottom of the Pacific Division and are sitting 14 points back of the group of teams that are battling it out for the division crown.The Ducks have 41 points after posting an 18-24-5 record to this point in the season, so the chances of them reaching the 95 points that are usually required to make it into the postseason seems more than a little slim. They are certainly not doing enough to get anywhere near the hunt, going just 3-6-1 in their last 10 games. They have not been great on the road, posting a 7-15-2 record away from home.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 2.55
- Shots: 29.72
- PP/PK Percentage: 15.08
Defense
- Goals: 3.17
- Shots: 31.68
- PP/PK Percentage: 23.24
Why bet on the Carolina Hurricanes?
If the Carolina Hurricanes played in the same division as the Anaheim Ducks, they would be just a single point off the top, but they are in the Metropolitan Division, where the top 3 teams are beginning to open up a bit of a gap on the chasing pack.
Overall, the Hurricanes are sitting at 27-18-2 on the season, which has them sitting in the first of the two Wild card spots in the Eastern Conference, although there are 3 teams who are hot on their heels, so these are the kinds of games that Carolina needs to take advantage of. They come into this one on a bit of a poor streak losing 2 in a row and going 5-5-0 in their last 10 games. They are 5-2 SU in their last 7 at home, but they have lost 5 in a row at home against Anaheim.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 3.23
- Shots: 33.74
- PP/PK Percentage: 21.92
Defense
- Goals: 2.72
- Shots: 28.85
- PP/PK Percentage: 17.37
Ducks vs Hurricanes 2020 NHL Betting Trends
- Ducks are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games on the road
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Anaheim’s last 6 games played on a Friday
- Hurricanes are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games at home
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Carolina’s last 6 games against an opponent in the West conference
Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction for Ducks vs Hurricanes
The Hurricanes are beginning to slide back toward the chasing pack below the playoff line, so they need to get back wo winning ways now. I think they do that on Friday night against the Ducks.Score: Anaheim Ducks 1 – Carolina Hurricanes 4
