NHL Playoffs Game Odds: New Jersey Devils at Carolina Hurricanes, Game 5 for Semifinals

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The Carolina Hurricanes can punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they would have home-ice advantage, with a home win in Game 5 the conference semifinals against New Jersey on Thursday. The Canes are short favorites on the NHL odds.

Devils vs. Hurricanes, Game 5 | 2023 NHL Expert Analysis

How to Bet New Jersey at Carolina NHL Hockey Odds & TV Info

When: Thursday, 7 PM ET
Where: PNC Arena
TV: TNT
Stream: TNT app
Radio: Tunein.com
Opening NHL Lines: Hurricanes -120, Devils +100 (total 5.5 goals)

Why Bet on New Jersey?

After an impressive 8-4 win in Game 3, the Devils were dominated 6-1 in Game 4 to fall down 3-1 in the series. Jack Hughes actually gave New Jersey a 1-0 lead in Game 4 but that was it. He’s been effective in the 2023 playoffs, providing six goals and 10 points in 11 outings. Hughes is the third different player in Devils/Rockies/Scouts franchise history with 10 points in a postseason before age 22, following Scott Gomez (2000 & 2001) and Scott Niedermayer (1995).

At first, it looked like Timo Meier opened the scoring for a second straight game, but it turns out the puck deflected ever so slightly off of Hughes’ shin pad in front of Fredrick Andersen for the Devils’ opening goal. The Devils controlled much of the first period and certainly had the most sustained pressure of the opening 20 minutes but it was 1-1 after a period.

Vitek Vanecek allowed five goals on 17 shots before being pulled. Vanecek was yanked after allowing a marker to Brent Burns midway through the second period. Akira Schmid stepped in and saved 11 of 12 shots the rest of the way.

“It’s hard to explain right now, we just stopped playing,” Nico Hischier said post-game, “We had the game right there, we were there where we wanted to be and something like that happens, it’s just unacceptable. The most important game of the year is coming up for us.”

Vanecek has a 4.64 GAA and an .825 save percentage in seven playoff contests this year. Schmid, who wasn’t charged with the loss Tuesday, has a 4-3 record, 2.29 GAA and .921 save percentage in eight playoff outings this year. It seems likely that he returns to the starting role. Schmid struggled in Games 1 and 2 to the tune of an .806 save percentage and got yanked early twice for Vanecek.

Defenseman Ryan Graves missed a second consecutive game with an injury. Graves was hit in the boards in Game 2 in Carolina and did not finish the game. Graves has skated twice since, but has not been ready to return to the lineup.

New Jersey is 1-10 overall in series it trails 3-1.

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Why Bet on Carolina?

Carolina is 5-0 overall all-time in a series it leads 3-1. Jordan Martinook had two assists and scored the last of Carolina’s six unanswered goals in the 6-1 victory in Game 4. The Hurricanes scored three times in a span of 3:41 in the second period – their second-fastest three goals in franchise playoff history behind Game 4 of the 1988 Division Semifinals (3:31). The Hurricanes scored five goals in a playoff period for the third time in franchise history.

Martinook has amassed three goals and six assists against New Jersey after recording zero points in Carolina’s First Round series. He is the third player in league history with at least nine points in a series after having zero in his team’s previous round that postseason.

Martinook also became the first player in Hurricanes/Whalers franchise history with four straight multi-point performances in a postseason, eclipsing three-game runs by Sebastian Aho in 2020 and Bates Battaglia in 2002. Martinook needs one point to match the club record for most in a single series, a mark set by Battaglia in the 2002 Conference Semifinals (4-6—10 in 6 GP) and equaled by Cory Stillman in the 2006 Conference Finals (3-7—10 in 7 GP).

Martin Necas (2-0—2), Brent Burns (1-1—2), Brett Pesce (1-1—2) and Jordan Staal (0-2—2) also had multiple points for Carolina, which moved within one win of its fifth conference finals berth in franchise history (last 2019). Burns became the sixth different Hurricanes/Whalers player with a playoff goal at age 38 or older, following forwards Mark Recchi (7), Ron Francis (6), Rod Brind’Amour (1), Gordie Howe (1) and Justin Williams (1).

Staal became the sixth player in Hurricanes/Whalers history with 20 career postseason assists. He joined Sebastian Aho (33), Jaccob Slavin (27), Ron Francis (25), Eric Staal (24) and Rod Brind’Amour (20).

Frederik Andersen turned aside 21 of 22 shots in the win. After allowing four goals on 12 shots before being pulled Sunday, this was an ideal bounce-back contest for Andersen, who has a 4-0 record, 1.80 GAA and .930 save percentage in five playoff outings this year.

Center Teuvo Teravainen (hand) is “a long way away” from returning, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. Teravainen, who last played April 19, did practice Wednesday, and Brind’Amour feels he’s making progress. During the regular season, Teravainen contributed 12 goals and 37 points in 68 outings.

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Game Trends

Devils are 16-5 in their last 21 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Devils are 9-3 in their last 12 after allowing 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Hurricanes are 14-5 in their last 19 after scoring 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Hurricanes are 41-15 in their last 56 home games.
Devils are 3-8 in the last 11 meetings.
Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Carolina.