The New Jersey Devils take on the Carolina Hurricanes tonight, and there's plenty to break down before you place your bets.
The Devils have had a fast start to the season, with a solid 4-1 record.
The Hurricanes, on the other hand, are coming off their only game so far — a 4-1 win over the Lightning.
It’s still early in the season, so let’s not get wrapped up in their records.
The total for tonight's matchup is set at 6.5, which feels a little high to us at first glance.
But when you consider that the Devils are playing their second game in as many nights, the situation gets a bit more interesting. New Jersey has been scoring well this season after their 5 games, averaging around three goals per game, but they also do a great job defensively, keeping their opponents under pressure and out of the net.
Carolina's defense, meanwhile, has been solid in their single game. Frederik Andersen stood tall in their win over Tampa, only giving up one goal during regulation before two late empty-netters. Sure, those count towards stats, but we tend to neglect them in analysis because any player can score an empty-netter.
The Hurricanes also like to slow games down with their defense, focusing on limiting high-danger chances. That’ll be a big deal when looking at over/under bets.
The Devils are coming into this game after playing yesterday, and fatigue could play a role.
Goalie Devon Levi is expected to start tonight, and he's been strong so far with a 0.929 save percentage. Having a reliable goalie behind them will help, but Carolina’s fresh legs could be somewhat of a challenge for New Jersey’s defense, which has already had to work hard in recent games. It’s not always a guarantee that fatigue will take a toll, but it happens.
New Jersey has been excellent on the penalty kill, operating at 90.9%, but if they start taking penalties late in the game due to fatigue, that could hurt them.
The Hurricanes’ rested roster should come into this matchup with more energy, which might allow them to dictate the pace of this Wednesday night matchup.
The Hurricanes have only played one game this season, but they showed that their defense-first approach is still their bread and butter like it was last season — which worked out pretty well for them.
Carolina's goaltending duo of Andersen and Antti Raanta is more than capable of keeping the opposition in check. Against a Devils team that is likely to be a bit tired, Carolina will look to smother their offense and capitalize on any mistakes for their own goals.
One interesting thing to watch for is whether New Jersey can break down Carolina's man-to-man defense, which is notorious for stifling opponents. If the Hurricanes can maintain this style of play, it’ll be tough for the Devils to get their usual rhythm going, especially on the second night of a back-to-back.
The main question heading into this game is whether we’ll see enough offense to push the total over 6.5 goals.
The Devils have firepower, but being on the road after a tough schedule could lead to some sloppy play. Carolina’s defense will be looking to grind things out, and with Andersen in the net, we don’t expect a high-scoring game.
Plus, two of the four goals the Hurricanes scored against Tampa Bay were empty-netters, which means to us that their offensive output isn’t as explosive as it looks on paper.
Given the situation, we’re confidently taking the Under 6.5 goals.
The Devils’ goalie Devon Levi has been playing well, and with both teams known for their defensive structure, this could easily turn into a low-scoring affair.
BettorInsider's Final Pick: Take the Under 6.5 in this matchup as the best bet.
BettorInsider's Prediction: Devils 1, Hurricanes 2