NHL Odds, Preview, Expert Pick & Prediction: Hurricanes vs. Senators (April 10)
Rich Graessle/Getty Images. Pictured: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes.
- The Hurricanes are road favorites on Monday night when they visit the Senators in Ottawa.
- Both teams are playing their best hockey of the season, but which side has the better betting value?
- Grant White breaks down the matchup and shares his expert betting prediction below.
Hurricanes vs. Senators Odds
| Hurricanes Odds | -184 |
| Senators Odds | +152 |
| Over/Under | 6.5o-108 |
| Time | 7 p.m. ET |
| TV | SNE |
| Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
The Ottawa Senators' playoff hopes have been dashed, but they could still embrace the role of spoiler Monday against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Canes are one point up on the New Jersey Devils for top spot in the Metropolitan Division. That distinction comes with the advantage of opening the playoffs against a wild card team, a benefit the Hurricanes won't want to miss out on. A loss against the Sens puts added pressure on Carolina to win its final two games and tightens the division race to end the campaign.
Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina is the preeminent analytics team in the NHL. The Metropolitan Division leaders rank first in Expected Goals-For rating, establishing an impressive 60.1% Expected Goals-For rating throughout the 2022-23 season. That places them 3.5% clear of the next closest team and is easily the best mark of the last 16 years.
More impressively, the Canes have exceeded that lofty standard in six of their past seven games. Over that stretch, Carolina has a cumulative 64.4% benchmark, thanks to stellar play on both ends of the ice.
Offensively, the Hurricanes are doing damage. Sebastian Aho and company have attempted 10 or more High-Danger Chances in all but one of those games, averaging 12.4 across the seven-game sample. Likewise, Scoring Chances are flowing naturally, with the Canes going north of 30 in five of seven and posting a per-game average of 29.7.
Combined with their defensive effort, in which they've limited opponents to seven or fewer quality chances in six of seven, there has been no stopping the Hurricanes.
Ottawa Senators
It doesn't soften the blow of missing the postseason, but the Senators took a big step forward in their development this year. Several young players have emerged as elite skaters, and the future is bright in Ottawa. Like many young teams, they have mastered the game on home ice, needing to make adjustments as the visitors to be more competitive. That won't help them in this year's playoff race, but it will help them contend with the Hurricanes.
Like the Canes, Ottawa has shifted the analytics in their favor over their recent sample. The Senators have outplayed their opponents in six straight, posting a 66.2% Expected Goals-For rating. Offense has been the foundation of their success, and we expect the Sens to maintain that standard on Monday.
The Senators have attempted at least 13 High-Danger Opportunities in three straight and four of their last six. Despite the increased productivity, scoring has decreased. Ottawa has posted below-average shooting percentages in four of their six games, recording one or fewer goals at five-on-five in all but two of those matchups. That imbalance lends itself to improved scoring as output catches up with production.
Hurricanes vs. Senators Pick
Both teams come into this Eastern Conference showdown in the best form of their respective seasons. Although the Sens and Canes are playing responsibly in their own ends, we can't look past the offensive momentum that either club brings into Monday night's battle.
The Sens have been elite on home ice, with improved production over their recent sample and as progression candidates in terms of output. The Canes can skate with the best of them, though, and have the metrics and scoring depth to keep pace.
We're betting those trends continue, with this one going over the total.
Pick: Over 6.5 (+102) |
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