The Philadelphia Flyers and Carolina Hurricanes meet in Game 2 of the second round of the NHL Playoffs tonight. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. EDT at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
The Hurricanes are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 5.5 (-100o / -120u). The Hurricanes are a -259 favorite to win outright, while the Flyers are +210 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Flyers vs. Hurricanes predictions and NHL picks.
Flyers vs. Hurricanes Odds, Pick
| Flyers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -130 | 5.5 -100o / -120u | +210 |
| Hurricanes Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +110 | 5.5 -100o / -120u | -259 |
- Flyers vs. Hurricanes Spread: Hurricanes -1.5 (+110 ), Flyers +1.5 (-130)
- Flyers vs. Hurricanes Over/Under: 5.5 (-100o / -120u)
- Flyers vs. Hurricanes Moneyline: Flyers +210, Hurricanes -259
Flyers vs Hurricanes Polymarket Odds
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Flyers vs. Hurricanes Preview
Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers definitely surprised a lot of people with how well they performed in the first round of the playoffs against the Penguins. But if you watched this team down the stretch, you can understand the hype.
It works even better adding Porter Martone to the group, who looks beyond ready for a full-time NHL role.
However, I think a lot of Philadelphia’s success has lain on the shoulders of Dan Vladar, who’s been a total beauty all playoffs.
During the playoffs, the Flyers’ 5-on-5 defense has waned a bit, as they’re ranked in the bottom three with a 12.89 xGA. Meanwhile, Vladar has run through the postseason with a .928 SV% and a 6.0 GSAx.
Regardless, this is a good team, and players Travis Konecny and Noah Cates are made for the playoffs. One thing to monitor, though, is the status of Owen Tippett, who was a last-minute scratch before puck drop with a lingering injury.
I do think, however, that Philadelphia is facing a much more difficult breed of competition than the Penguins did in the last round, and it certainly showed on Saturday when it lost 3-0.
Carolina Hurricanes
Usually, I want to temper my expectations with a team that’s fresh off a sweep. Because they can either come out red hot or as sluggish as can be.
The Hurricanes were the former.
Carolina came in with a devastating 2-0 lead to start the first period and put the Flyers on their heels. The tandem of Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake worked together like peanut butter and jelly, with Stankoven firing two goals, and Blake chipping in for the other one.
As I mentioned in the Flyers section, this is a different breed. Carolina was the top Eastern Conference team all season for a reason, and during the playoffs is the second-best team in 5-on-5 expected goals.
The one thing that I’ll continue to worry about for the Canes is their goaltending.
For a team that is as well-rounded as they are, all season, the goaltending has been an issue. Luckily, though, Freddie Andersen has looked like a Cup-winning goaltender in these playoffs, playing to a .961 SV% and a 9.0 GSAx.
The question is, will he be able to keep it up? That will be the deciding factor on whether Carolina makes a serious Cup run or not.
Flyers vs. Hurricanes Prediction
I think we see a little more fire from the Flyers than what we saw in Game 1.
Granted, I don’t think they will win, because Carolina is much more well-rounded, and its top players are playing to their expectations.
For the Flyers, their top scorer is defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who, to me, is completely bonkers. Ristolainen has always been an offensive defenseman, but he has significantly waned as he’s gotten older.
Guys like Martone, Konecny and Zegras have all been active in these playoffs, but not enough to light the lamp, it seems.
Given how much of a grind it’s been to score for Philly, and the dominance of both Vladar and Andersen in the crease, I think we'll see another low-scoring game here.
Pick: Under 5.5
