The Stanley Cup playoffs are approaching fast, and the Carolina Hurricanes are in the postseason for the 7th straight year. They will begin their road to the cup against the New Jersey Devils.
The Hurricanes and Devils split their four-game season series with two wins each. The previous meeting between the two teams was back on December 28th. That game was a 5-2 Carolina win at home in a fiery battle between the two growing rivals. Even at that time of the season, it seemed likely these two teams would compete in Round 1 against each other.
Things have changed for both teams since their last game in December. Injuries and roster changes have altered the details of the upcoming matchup. It has made the outlook of the series heavily in Carolina's favor. The Hurricanes are -280 favorites to win the series against the Devils outright on Fanduel Sportsbook, and many analysts (except P.K. Subban) agree with the oddsmakers on how this series will go.
Despite the on-paper predictions and Vegas odds, the game is played on the ice, but with everything in mind, it is fair to say that Carolina has things going their way when previewing this first round matchup.