These should be two simple series. You have the President’s Trophy Rangers in one and the
second-best Eastern Conference team in Carolina in the other. That being said, both teams split
the season series with their first-round adversaries and with the slates being wiped clean,
anything can happen in the playoffs.
Rangers vs Capitals
This was a back and forth series all season with each team coming away with two victories and
a 9-9 overall score through four games.
New York Rangers
Strength
The Rangers are rocking five 20+ goals scorers which includes Chris Kreider tucking in 39 and
Artemi Panarin leading the team with 49. Panarin had career years in goals and with 120 points
on the season. As a squad, their special teams have been solid. They put up the third-best
power play and penalty kill of the regular season.
Weakness
While they haven’t played each other in four months, the fact that the President’s Trophy
winning Rangers split the season series with the Capitals is a bit of a concern.
Washington Capitals
Strength
Washington just refused to stay down. Alex Ovechkin hit the 30-goal plateau once again and
somehow they made the playoffs. They’re 4-1 through their last five which includes wins over
the Bruins and Lightning.
Weakness
The Capitals average the lowest goals for among the sixteen playoff teams and put up the
third-least shots on net per game in the entire league. Offense is not of abundance for the
Capitals. They only have two players on their main roster who are not a minus on the year.
Current Series Odds
Capitals +360
Rangers -450
Season Series
December 9: New York Rangers 0 @ Washington 4
December 27: Washington 1 @ New York Rangers 5
January 13: New York Rangers 2 @ Washington 3
January 14: Washington 1 @ New York Rangers 2
Hurricanes vs Islanders
Both teams split the four-game season series at two apiece with Carolina coming away with a
slight 16-14 total goals advantage.
Carolina Hurricanes
Strength
The Hurricanes went big game hunting at the deadline and picked up Jake Guentzel from the
Penguins and Evgeny Kuznetsov from the Capitals. Guentzel finished the year with a total of 30
goals, adding to the two 30-goal scorers already on the Hurricanes. Carolina allows the least
amount of shots against per game with a paltry 25.6 coming their way. In terms of special
teams, they boast the second-best power play and the number one penalty kill across the
league.
Weakness
Similar to the Bruins, the Hurricanes enter the postseason as a team that splits the net in half.
Not running with a true number one in net has come back to haunt teams in the past. It remains
to be seen if Carolina will fall under that category this year.
New York Islanders
Strength
They’re 8-1 over their last nine, dragging themselves into the playoffs. They have strong center
depth in their top two lines, anchored by both Brock Nelson and Bo Horvat. Both Nelson and
Horvat are coming off another 30-plus goal season and are joined by Kyle Palmieri who hit the
30-goal mark once again in his career.
Weakness
The Islanders sport the worst penalty kill in the league at just a 71.5% success rate and allow
the fourth-most shots against per game this season at 32.7. They have just a single player who
finished the season at a point per game pace in Matt Barzal who put up 80 in 80.
Current Series Odds
Islanders +345
Hurricanes -425
Season Series
November 4: Carolina 4 @ New York Islanders 3
November 30: New York Islanders 5 @ Carolina 4
December23: New York Islanders 5 @ Carolina 4
March 19: Carolina 4 @ New York Islanders 1
For the latest NHL odds visit BetOnline.