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- What: Game 5 NHL Eastern Conference Round 2 Playoffs
- Who: New Jersey Devils vs. Carolina Hurricanes
- Date: Thursday, May 11, 2023
- Location: PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina
- Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: TNT, CBC, SN, TVAS
The Carolina Hurricanes moved within one game of heading back to the NHL Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2019 with a 6-1 trouncing of the New Jersey Devils in Game 4 of their 2023 NHL Eastern Conference playoff series. Carolina has been bounced from the postseason in the semifinal round in each of the past two years. In 2021, the Tampa Bay Lightning downed them in five games, while last year, the Hurricanes fell to the New York Rangers in seven games. This season marked the first year the Devils made the NHL playoffs since 2018. The Devils only have that playoff appearance on their resume since the team lost in the Stanley Cup Final to the Los Angeles Kings.
The Hurricanes have outscored the Devils in this series 21-11, with eight of New Jersey’s goals coming in the Devils’ 8-4 win over Carolina in Game 4. The Hurricanes are up 3-1 as the NHL Eastern Conference Semifinal series heads back to North Carolina for tonight’s Game 5.
Game 4 of the New Jersey Devils vs. Carolina Hurricanes 2023 NHL playoff series takes place at PNC Arena on Thursday night. Before we look at the betting breakdown for that game, check out our guide to betting on the 2023 Stanley Cup and our tips for betting on the NHL.
New Jersey Devils vs. Carolina Hurricanes betting picks for Game 5
| To Win Game 5 Eastern Confernce Playoff Series |  |  |  |  |
| New Jersey Devils | +113 | +105 | +105 | +105 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | -125 | -125 | -125 | -125 |
New Jersey Devils betting breakdown
The New Jersey Devils racked up eight goals in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes. The team then turned around in Game 4 and lost 6-1. Devils head coach Lindy Ruff was baffled by how his team played on Tuesday night in a home game at Newark’s Prudential Center. “That’s a hard one to explain. That’s about as poorly we’ve skated and supported the puck in any game this year,” said Ruff. “There was no team effort. We weren’t good.”
The Devils need to bounce back in a big way if they hope to extend the series against the Hurricanes. New Jersey had a 1-0 lead for most of the first period. The Hurricanes tied the game at 17:40 of the first stanza. The wheels came off for New Jersey after Martin Necas scored his second goal of the game at 7:26 into the second period for Carolina. Carolina had scored five unanswered goals by the time the horn sounded to end the period.
New Jersey needs to play a team game for 60 minutes if it hopes to beat Carolina. That didn’t happen in Game 3, as Ruff said, “We had guys that just went rogue. You can’t call that lack of experience. Even the power play turned into one man trying to do something and the next guy trying to do something.”
Carolina Hurricanes betting breakdown
Hurricanes goalie Frederick Andersen opened the series against the Devils by allowing one goal in each of those games. In Game 3, he allowed four goals on 12 shots in 20:53 of playing time. The veteran goaltender bounced back on Tuesday, once again holding the Devils to a single marker on 22 shots.
In the games they have won this series, the Hurricanes have kept the Devils from getting a lot of shots. They held New Jersey to 18 shots in Game 1 and 22 in Game 4. In Carolina’s Game 3 loss, the Devils put up a series high 34 shots. If Carolina wants to get rid of the Devils in Game 5 of this Eastern Conference playoff series, the team needs to limit New Jersey’s shots and capitalize on the chances they generate.
Carolina has very balanced goal scoring in the playoffs. Sebastian Aho leads the team with 10 points and five goals. Three Hurricanes players have four goals a piece, and four have put the puck in the net three times. All told, Carolina has had 14 players notch at least one goal during the 2023 NHL postseason.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils series schedule
- Game 5: Thu., May 11: Devils at Hurricanes, 7:00 p.m. ET; TNT, SN, CBC, TVAS
- Game 6*: Sat., May 13: Hurricanes at Devils, 4:00 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, CBC, TVAS
- Game 7*: Mon., May 15: Devils at Hurricanes, TBD; ESPN, SN, CBC, TVAS
*If necessary
Best bets for New Jersey Devils vs. Carolina Hurricanes Game 5
I thought this would be a low-scoring series, and it has been for the New Jersey Devils, outside of the team’s explosion for eight goals in Game 3. With how Carolina has played during the 2023 NHL Playoffs, it’s hard to believe the Devils will find a way to come back after Game 4. The Devils looked discouraged and out of sorts. Expect the Hurricanes to play aggressively early in Game 5 and put New Jersey on their heels. The best bet is to pick the Carolina Hurricanes to end their 2023 NHL Eastern Conference Playoff series tonight in Carolina.
Pick: Carolina Hurricanes to beat New Jersey Devils in Game 5 of the 2023 NHL Eastern Conference Playoff Semifinals.
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