NHL Playoffs 2022: Odds, Hot Takes, Top Storylines for May 28 Schedule

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On Friday night, the Colorado Avalanche became the third NHL team to advance past the second round of this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs. They notched a 3-2 win in their Game 6 matchup against the St. Louis Blues, securing their spot in the Western Conference Final against the Edmonton Oilers.

Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning previously swept the Florida Panthers and are waiting to find out who they’ll face in the Eastern Conference Final. It will be either the Carolina Hurricanes or New York Rangers, who continue to battle in their second-round playoff series.

The Hurricanes currently have a 3-2 lead and will have an opportunity to end the series on Saturday night, when they’ll take on the Rangers in New York. If the Rangers can stave off elimination, then the two teams will meet in a Game 7 contest on Monday night on Carolina’s home ice.

Saturday Schedule, Odds

Game 6: Carolina Hurricanes (-105; bet $105 to win $100) at New York Rangers (-115), 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

The Hurricanes Will Finally Win a Road Game to Advance Past Second Round

Through their first 12 games of the postseason, the Hurricanes are 7-0 at home. But they’re also 0-5 on the road. And even if they lose Saturday’s Game 6 in New York, they’ll then have an opportunity to win the series on their home ice in Monday’s Game 7.

So Carolina doesn’t have to win Game 6 in order to move on to the next round. However, this should end up being the first time that it secures a victory away from PNC Arena this postseason.

Even though the Hurricanes haven’t played well on visiting ice thus far, coach Rod Brind’Amour hasn’t been concerned.

“That’s a non-issue,” Brind’Amour said, per Vin A. Cherwoo of the Associated Press. “It’s all I hear about endlessly. We haven’t played poorly on the road. Our game’s been fine. There’s a couple of things that have gone squirrelly. … We’re playing good teams. That’s how it goes.”

Brind’Amour is right, but Carolina also hasn’t been generating enough offense on the road. It has scored two or fewer goals in each of its first five away contests, and it has scored only two total goals in New York during its second-round series.

But the Hurricanes continue to play strong defense. Goaltender Antti Raanta is having an impressive postseason, having recorded a 1.99 goals against average and a .931 save percentage through his first 11 games of the playoffs.

As long as Raanta continues to play this well, then Carolina shouldn’t need a ton of offense to win. And that will be its formula for success in Game 6.

Although the Hurricanes haven’t scored more than three goals in any of their past seven games, they’re due to break out soon. They were held to one goal in both Games 3 and 4, before scoring three times in their Game 5 victory last time out.

Carolina is the stronger team in this series, and it has showcased its ability to win close games, even if that’s only been the case on its home ice so far. The Hurricanes are too talented to continue to fall short on the road, which is why this should finally be the time for them to break through.

Even though it doesn’t necessarily need to, Carolina will win Game 6 and secure its spot in the Eastern Conference Final. And while it will then face a tough task in going up against Tampa Bay, the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion, it will soon have an opportunity to play for the East title.

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