Trent Reinsmith
- The Carolina Hurricanes won the NHL’s Metropolitan Division for a third straight year.
- The NY Islanders are back in the NHL playoffs after missing the postseason in 2022.
- The Eastern Conference playoff series between the Hurricanes and Islanders begins on Monday, April 17, in Carolina.
The Carolina Hurricanes and NY Islanders both decided their playoff fates in their final games of the 2023 NHL regular season. With their 6-4 win over the Florida Panthers, the Carolina Hurricanes ended the season with a 52-21-9 record, putting them one point ahead of the New Jersey Devils and earning the team the No. 1 spot in the Metropolitan Division. As for the Islanders, their 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens put them in a wild card spot. The Islanders finished the season with a record of 42-31-9.
With their division-winning record, the Hurricanes became the third team since 2013 to win three consecutive division titles. The other two were the Anaheim Ducks and Washington Capitals. Each of those clubs won four straight titles. As for the Isles, their wild-card spot put them back in the postseason after missing the playoffs last year.
The Hurricanes finished the 2023 season on a 5-5 run, while the Islanders claimed their spot in the 2023 NHL playoffs with a 5-4-1 season finish.
Before we look at the first-round matchup of the 2023 NHL Eastern Conference playoffs between the Carolina Hurricanes and the NY Islanders, check out our guide to betting on the 2023 Stanley Cup and our tips for betting on the NHL.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. NY Islanders betting picks for NHL Eastern Conference Playoff Series
| To Win First Round NHL Eastern Conference Playoff Series |  |  |  |
| NY Islanders | +180 | +145 | +175 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | -210 | -170 | -210 |
Carolina Hurricanes betting breakdown
The Hurricanes finished the 2023 regular season with a 28-10-3 home record while going 24-11-6 on the road. The team scored a total of 266 goals and gave up 213 for a goal differential of +53. The Hurricanes finished the 2023 campaign with wins in their final two games.
Martin Necas paced the Hurricanes in scoring for the 202 NHL regular season. He led the team with 71 points and also had the most assists on the club with 43. The team’s leading goal scorer was Sebastian Aho, with 36. Necas and Aho were two of the three Carolina players to net more than 20 goals on the season. The other player who exceeded that number was Andrei Svechnikov, with 23 markers.
The Hurricanes have two good goaltenders to pick from for the 2023 playoffs. Frederick Andersen finished the season with a 21-11-1 record, a 2.48 goals against average and a .903 save percentage. Meanwhile, Antti Raanta went 19-3-3 with a 2.23 GAA and a .910 save percentage.
NY Islanders betting breakdown
The Islanders had a 25-13-3 home record for the 2023 NHL season and went 17-18-6 on the road. The club put up 243 goals on the year and gave up 222, for a goal differential of +21.
Brock Nelson led the team in all major statistical categories in 2023 with 75 points, 36 goals, and 39 assists. The team’s second-leading scorer was Matthew Brazal with 51 points. Brazal missed the final 23 games of the NHL season with a lower-body injury. He practiced with the team on Friday, and the club is hopeful that he can play in the first game of the series with the Hurricanes. If he can play, Brazal is a enormous addition to the Islanders offense.
The Islanders have one of the best goalies in the NHL this year in Ilya Sorokin. He had a 2.34 goals against average for the regular season and a .924 save percentage while leading the league with six shutouts.
2023 NHL Regular Season: Head-to-Head
The Hurricanes and Islanders played four times in 2023. Carolina won three of those games (3-0, 5-2, and 2-1). The Islanders’ only win over Carolina was a 6-2 triumph in October.
Hurricanes vs. Islanders Playoff Series Schedule
Game 1 at Carolina: Monday, April 17, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2
Game 2 at Carolina: Wednesday, April 19, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2
Game 3 at New York, Friday, April 21, 7 p.m. ET on TBS
Game 4 at New York, Sunday, April 23, 1 p.m. ET on TBS
Game 5* at Carolina, Tuesday, April 25, TBD
Game 6* at New York, Friday, April 28, TBD
Game 7* at Carolina, Sunday, April 30, TBD
*if necessary
Best bets for the Carolina Hurricanes vs. NY Islanders Playoff Series
Expect a tight, low-scoring, defensive series between the Carolina Hurricanes and the NY Islanders. Health will also play a role in this series. If the Islanders get Brazal back, it will be a huge boost to the team. Meanwhile, Carolina will be without the injured Max Pacioretty and Andrei Svechnikov.
The Hurricanes are the deeper team here, but the Islanders have a goalie that can steal a game or two for them, and that will be the difference. The best bet for this series is to pick the NY Islanders to beat the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games.
Pick: NY Islanders to beat the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games.
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