The Carolina Hurricanes controlled the Boston Bruins all season, and that has carried over into their first-round playoff series. As the series moves to Boston, this betting guide will give some of the top value plays for bettors, as well as some good-looking props plays.
Carolina Hurricanes (+105) vs Boston Bruins (-125)
The odds continue to be absurdly favorable for Carolina in this series, as they enter Game 3 as the underdog. Not only is the Hurricanes’ moneyline (+105) a must-play, but it’s also worth taking a look at their alternate puck line. The moneyline is the best pick, but taking Carolina to win by more than a goal (-1.5, +260) also has plenty of value.
Boston can’t stop the Hurricanes, who have scored at least five goals in all but one game between these teams this season. That includes a pair of five-goal outings already in this series. Boston showed a little life in Game 2, and the offense should have a little more juice playing at home. As long as the number on the total stays at 5.5 goals, keep hammering the over (O5.5, -120).
Props
Carolina: First Team to Reach Three Goals (+145)
This was a great play in Game 2, and it is likely time to go back to this well again in Game 3. The closest game in the season series between these two teams was actually the 5-2 score from Wednesday. The Hurricanes have hit three goals in every game against Boston, and Game 2 was the first time all season that the Bruins managed more than one.
Look for Carolina to keep clicking against Boston, as the Canes have looked like one of the sharpest teams in the entire postseason thus far. Even down to their third goaltender, Boston struggled to get anything going. Add in Carolina’s league-best penalty kill, and betting on them to get to three goals first looks like another good spot.
Sebastian Aho Anytime Goalscorer (+215)
Sebastian Aho scored two goals in Game 2 and now has four goals in five games against Boston this season. Now the Hurricanes go on the road, where Aho was an absolute terror this season. Aho scored 37 goals this season—one short of a career-high—and 23 of them were scored on the road. He also had four goals over the final nine games of the regular season, and all four were scored away from home.
The Hurricanes are clicking, and Aho’s line with Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis has been very sharp. Those three have four of Carolina’s 10 goals in the series, and Boston hasn’t looked to have an answer for them. Boston might make an adjustment against them sooner or later, but getting better than 2-to-1 odds for Aho to light the lamp has a lot of value in a series Carolina is controlling.
Odds via FanDuel and BetMGM
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