Betting news, trends, odds and predictions for from various handicappers and websites for Wednesday 4/24/19
Only one game remains in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs which will take place on Wednesday when the Washington Capitals host the Carolina Hurricanes. The home team has won each of the first four games of this series.
Featured Games
Carolina Hurricanes (+128) vs. Washington Capitals (-157)
It all comes down to Game 7, as the Carolina Hurricanes manhandled the Washington Capitals on Monday to tie the series at three. Washington would take a 2-1 lead coming out of the first period, but Petr Mrazek shut them down over the next two frames as the Carolina offense would come up with four unanswered goals on their way to a 5-2 victory. Jordan Staal and Dougie Hamilton each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes.
Goaltending Matchup:
Petr Mrazek will start in goal for Carolina. He has a 2.67 goals-against average in these playoffs, but only a .895 save percentage. In Game 6, Mrazek was fantastic, stopping 23 of 25 shots and allowing no goals after the first period. He has been significantly better at home, allowing just three total goals in the three contests there, than he has been on the road, where he has allowed 14 total goals through the first three games in Washington.
Braden Holtby will oppose Mrazek for the seventh straight time in the series. Holtby has a 2.68 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage in this series. In the three games in Washington in this series, he has allowed five total goals, including recording a shutout in Game 5.
Trends to Watch:
The Carolina Hurricanes are…
0-3 on the road in the series.
2-6 in their last eight games on the road.
8-3 in their last 11 conference quarterfinals games
The Washington Capitals are…
7-3 in their last 10 conference quarterfinals games.
3-0 at home in this series.
134-63 in their last 197 games at home.
Stat Pack:
Hurricanes:
Goals For: 2.96
Goals Against: 2.70
Power-Play: 17.8%
Penalty Killing: 81.6%
Capitals:
Goals For: 3.34
Goals Against: 3.02
Power-Play: 20.8%
Penalty Killing: 78.9%
Prediction
Many will look at a 3-3 tie in a series heading to a Game 7 and will think that this has been one grueling, closely contested battle. However, the home team has dominated three of the last four contests, as Carolina won Game 3, 5-0, Washington won Game 5, 6-0, and the Hurricanes dominated Game 6, 5-2. The home team has been in complete command and that bodes well for the Washington Capitals. As well as Carolina has played in the series, they have clearly not been the same team away from home.
The total is set at 5.5 for this contest. The total has gone over that number in each of the last two games, but we don’t see that happening here. Washington is likely to get a lead early, and then do everything they can to protect that lead. For that reason, we take the under as the Washington Capitals win 4-0.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Washington Capitals Preview and Predictions 04-24-2019 in NHL
Carolina Hurricanes captain Justin Williams is affectionately known as "Mr. Game 7" for his penchant of delivering when a playoff series is pushed to its limit. Boasting an NHL-record 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in Game 7s, Williams and the Hurricanes will look to land the knockout blow on Wednesday when they visit the defending Stanley Cup champion Capitals in Washington.
"We answered the bell," said the 37-year-old Williams, who owns a 7-1 mark in Game 7s. "I said from the start of the series, if they're going to knock us out, we're not going to let it be easy on them. Let's go play another game." The three-time Stanley Cup champion rocked the reigning title holders by scoring a goal in Monday's 5-2 win, giving upstart Carolina a chance to advance to the second round after failing to qualify for the playoffs in each season since 2008-09. While the Hurricanes own a 4-0 mark in Game 7s since relocating from Hartford, Washington's garish record improved to 5-11 following last year's 4-0 win over Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference final. "I don't think anyone expected it to be easy," Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik said. "They played well all series. We were up 2-0 and we were probably fortunate to be up 2-0, and we've been good on home ice and now we have a Game 7, and it is probably good that we have home ice."
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, Sportsnet, Sportsnet 360, TVAS, FS Carolinas, NBCS Washington
ABOUT THE HURRICANES: Jordan Staal recorded his second two-point performance of the series and fourth this month when he collected a goal and an assist in Game 6, extending Carolina's dream season at least one more game. "Anything can happen in Game 7. It's what you dream of playing as a kid. I know everyone in this group is excited," the 30-year-old Staal said. Rookie Warren Foegele scored on Monday to boost his point total to eight (six goals, two assists) in his last eight contests overall, although he has just one -- an assist in Game 2 -- in his last three visits to Washington.
ABOUT THE CAPITALS: Captain Alex Ovechkin continued his scoring spree by tallying in his third consecutive contest on Monday, although his potential tying goal in the third period was denied after officials ruled that he interfered with Petr Mrazek. "Game 7 is going to be very interesting. We know how to play that. Pressure on both teams, but it's a good chance for us to beat them at home," said Ovechkin, who has four goals and three assists in Game 7s. Former Vezina Trophy recipient Braden Holtby owns a 3-4 mark in Game 7s despite posting a 1.81 goals-against average and .934 save percentage.
OVERTIME
1. Wednesday's winner advances to face the New York Islanders in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
2. Carolina is the 10th NHL club in the Expansion Era to force a Game 7 in the opening round against the defending Stanley Cup champion.
3. The home team has won all six games in this series.
PREDICTION: Capitals 3, Hurricanes 2
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NHL
Long Sheet
Wednesday, April 24
CAROLINA (49-31-0-8, 106 pts.) at WASHINGTON (51-29-0-8, 110 pts.) - 4/24/2019, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CAROLINA is 26-36 ATS (-14.5 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
CAROLINA is 16-47 ATS (+78.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 117-78 ATS (+199.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 47-27 ATS (+8.4 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 47-26 ATS (+9.6 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 46-29 ATS (+7.9 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 64-45 ATS (+5.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 40-29 ATS (+6.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
CAROLINA is 33-17 ATS (+10.4 Units) second half of the season this season.
CAROLINA is 22-11 ATS (+7.4 Units) after a division game this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 12-6 (+4.4 Units) against the spread versus CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 12-6-0 straight up against CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
10 of 18 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.6 Units)
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NHL
Wednesday, April 24
Trend Report
Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Carolina's last 7 games
Carolina is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
Carolina is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Carolina's last 5 games on the road
Carolina is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Washington
Carolina is 5-12 SU in its last 17 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Carolina's last 6 games when playing Washington
Carolina is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
Carolina is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
Washington Capitals
Washington is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games
Washington is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Carolina
Washington is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games when playing Carolina
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games when playing Carolina
Washington is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Carolina
Washington is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Carolina
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