Senators vs. Hurricanes Preview, Best Bets: NHL Playoff Predictions

When talking about teams playing postseason hockey long before the dance commences, the Senators are the quintessential example. 

They will roll into the playoffs against the Carolina Hurricanes on the back of the second-best record (14-5-2) since March 5.

Their exquisite late-season run could represent the great equalizer against a team with the second-shortest Stanley Cup odds. But will it be enough to send Rod Brind’Amour and his Hurricanes packing? 

Senators vs. Hurricanes Game 1 Odds, Spread, Over/Under 

Ottawa Senators vs. Carolina Hurricanes Prediction: 1st Round NHL Playoff Preview 

A couple of things must happen for the Senators to upset the Hurricanes. First, Linus Ullmark must play as he did in the final two weeks of the season, at the peak of his powers. 

Ullmark will be the first to admit that he didn’t play well enough over the course of the season. Despite allowing the fewest expected goals against, the Sens were the third-worst in goals saved above expected (22.7). 

The fact that the Senators conceded so few expected goals is promising, especially as the Hurricanes created the most expected goals during the season, but ranked 27th in goals-for above expected. 

With those stats in mind, it’s incredible that Carolina finished with the second-best points percentage (.689). 

Can Senators Upset Hurricanes? 

Rookie phenom Brandon Bussi and veteran Frederik Andersen will backstop the Hurricanes. 

Brind’Amour, as has become customary in recent seasons, alternated his two go-to goaltenders down the stretch. 

He’ll likely start with Andersen, who will be on a short leash. Neither netminder was good enough in the final stage of the season, which I discuss below. 

The Sens, who were a different beast in the final third of the season, will be particularly unforgiving if they don’t raise their level. 

The Sens were my dark horse team to start the season, and I’m not deviating after seeing them run the table despite injuries to Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot, both of whom are healthy. 

I wrote about why the Sens can win the Stanley Cup, and that quest starts by overcoming the Eastern Conference giants. 

Senators vs. Hurricanes Season Series 

The Hurricanes won two of three in the regular season, outscoring the Sens 11-10. The Hurricanes won their home contest and took one of two in Ottawa.  

Senators vs. Hurricanes Season Stats 

Senators vs. Hurricanes: Who’s Hot, Who’s Not

Ullmark is 5-1-0 with a .926 save percentage and 1.83 goals-against average (GAA) since the start of April.  Since returning to the Sens lineup on Jan. 31, he has 14 wins, second behind Andrei Vasilevskiy (15).

Things aren’t going so well for Bussi and Andersen, whose records are inflated by an explosive Hurricanes offence that is second in goals per game (3.55).  

Bussi is 7-3-1 with a .865 save percentage and 3.08 GAA, while Andersen is 8-4-0 with a .873 save percentage and 2.76 GAA since March 1. 

Senators vs. Hurricanes Best Bets

If the Sens play with the same desperation and consistency that got them into the playoffs, while receiving elite goaltending from Ullmark, an upset is on the cards. 

I have the Senators winning in seven games, and those hockey odds at the BetMGM online sportsbook are . 

As the Sens are a marked betting underdog, I’m also going to hedge a bit, backing them with a series spread of +1.5. This way, I’ll still win if the Sens lose in seven games.