In what is shaping up as a battle between two powerhouses in the National Hockey League’s Eastern Conference, the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes are scheduled to joust in the Stanley Cup quarterfinals. We just don’t know when yet.
Games 1 and 2 will be played in New York’s Madison Square Garden, and Games 3 and 4 are set for the PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. If needed, Game 5 will be back in New York, with Game 6 at Carolina and a deciding Game 7 at MSG.
The Rangers, who are available at to win the Cup, had the most points in the regular season with 114 in taking home the Presidents’ Trophy for the first time in nine years. They are seeking their first championship in 30 years.
Yet it’s the Hurricanes, with 111 points, who are the favorites to win the title. They won their only Cup in 2006 when they opened the season at 60-1 odds. This year they were at +950 just before the season puck drop.
Let’s take a closer look at the Rangers vs. Hurricanes odds and matchup at top U.S. sports betting sites.
Rangers vs. Hurricanes odds, series price
Here are the Rangers vs. Hurricanes Game 1 odds at FanDuel:
- Puck line: Hurricanes +1.5 (-275) | R angers -1.5 (+220)
- Moneyline: Hurricanes -105 | Rangers -114
- Total goals: 5.5 (-110)
Rangers vs. Hurricanes odds and series price at FanDuel:
- Series price: Hurricanes -152 | Rangers +126
- Series spread: Hurricanes -1.5 (+126) | Rangers +1.5 (-154)
- Series games: OVER 5.5 -188 | UNDER 5.5 +152
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Rangers, Hurricanes easily skate to Eastern Conference playoffs second round
New York is the only playoff team that swept its way to a first-round best-of-seven series victory, ousting the No. 8-seeded Washington Capitals in four games and holding sharp-shooting left winger Alex Ovechkin without a point.
Counting that series, New York has gone 30-7-1 since Jan. 27.
The Hurricanes, meanwhile, jumped to a 3-0 series lead against the No. 7-seeded New York Islanders before stumbling in Game 4. But Carolina put away the Isles on Tuesday night 6-3 — the second straight season the ‘Canes KO’d the Islanders in the opening round.
Carolina is looking to make up for its excruciating Cup semifinal ouster last season against Florida, when the Panthers won four straight games by one goal, with the first two in overtime in Raleigh.
Rangers vs. Hurricanes preview
The Rangers had by far the easiest route to the second round by getting to play a Washington team that had a minus-37 scoring differential, the worst for any playoff team in 32 seasons.
NYR goalie Igor Shesterkin has upped his game in the postseason with a 1.75 goals-against average and .930 save percentage.
Carolina received standout goaltending, also, from Frederik Andersen, who missed 40 games earlier this season because of a blood clot issue. Since returning to action March 7, he’s 13-2-0 and yielded only 23 goals.
And no team has a larger collection of scorers than Carolina, with 12 players producing goals in the postseason.
Rangers vs. Hurricanes betting prediction: Hurricanes in six
Although the Rangers won the season series 2-1, they scored only four goals.
The Hurricanes, though, know how to get the puck past Shesterkin, scoring six goals on only 27 shots in a 6-1 victory in early January, NYR’s most lopsided loss the past two seasons. And the game was played in New York.
Fueled by last year’s aborted run to the Finals, Carolina proves why it is the Cup favorite.