NHL Best Bets & Picks for Canadiens vs Hurricanes – May 29 - Game 5 Predictions
It's Friday, and it's also an elimination game at Lenovo Center in Raleigh. The Carolina Hurricanes welcome the Montreal Canadiens for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and the No. 1 seed in the East holds a 3-1 series lead. The Hurricanes have three opportunities to close out the Canadiens, beginning Friday at 8:00 p.m. ET on TNT/truTV/HBO Max.
We could potentially find out the Stanley Cup Final matchup as soon as this weekend. Will the Canadiens be able to extend their season, or will the Hurricanes punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final for a date with the Vegas Golden Knights?
We'll take a look at some same-game parlay (SGP) possibilities, and we'll also kick the tires on some player props to make things a little more interesting. Let's get started!
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Expert NHL Best Bets for Canadiens vs Hurricanes Matchup
Montreal Canadiens 
at Carolina Hurricanes 
Before we dip into the game preview, rest in peace to four-time Stanley Cup winner Claude Lemieux, who passed away this week at the age of 60. He was originally drafted in the second round of the 1983 NHL Entry Draft by the Canadiens, making his NHL debut with eight games in the 1983-84 season. He played 281 games with Montreal, averaging 26 goals and 55 points in three seasons from 1986-89.
The Canadiens head south to Raleigh looking to extend their season. Montreal proved it can win in Carolina, posting a 6-2 victory in Game 1, but that was against a rusty Hurricanes team which was off an NHL-record 12 days between the second round and the Eastern Conference Final. Carolina has quickly gotten back up to speed, winning each of the past three games, including both games in Montreal.
Carolina routed Montreal 4-0 in Game 4 on Wednesday, as Frederik Andersen registered his third shutout of the postseason, following a pair of 3-2 victories in overtime. The Under has cashed in three consecutive matchups after an Over result in Game 1, and the Under is 7-1 in the past eight playoff games for Carolina, while going 10-2 in the Hurricanes' postseason overall.
Montreal hits the road, where it has won four of the past five games, so don't overlook the Canadiens here. This is a proud team capable of winning anywhere and anytime.
Don't make any bets on your favorite sports betting apps without first consulting the latest NHL odds.
However, Montreal has had some issues solving Carolina's suffocating defense, especially in the neutral zone. The Canadiens have just had immense difficulty trying to get any free space to operate, and a lot of their scoring chances have come in traffic, with Andersen having no chance of seeing the puck through a sea of humanity in his immediate vicinity.
Andersen allowed five goals on 21 shots in Game 1, but he has conceded just four goals in the past three games, including the shutout win in Game 4. In the postseason, Andersen is 11-1-0 with a 1.44 GAA and .928 SV% with three shutouts, and he is among the favorites for the Conn Smythe Trophy (+290), along with Vegas forward Mitch Marner (+185).
In Game 4, it was all Carolina, as the team outshot Montreal 44-18, while hits were dead-even at 30 apiece. The Canadiens did a good job in the faceoff circle, posting a 53.7 percent mark.
On the power play, the Hurricanes were 1-for-6, while the Canadiens were obviously blanked, going 0-for-2. The Canadiens managed 23 blocked shots, compared to just 18 for the Hurricanes. However, Carolina also had seven takeaways, compared to just three for Montreal, while the latter was minus-3 in giveaways.
The big guns for Carolina had a hand in the Game 4 win, with Sebastian Aho, Jordan Staal, Logan Stankoven and Andrei Svechnikov netting goals, and Nikolaj Ehlers and Shayne Gostisbehere picking up two assists as the only multi-point performers.
Stankoven also had seven shots on goal, while Svechnikov had six shots on goal, and William Carrier had five shots on goal. Those three players had the same amount of shots as the Canadiens, who managed just 18 shots on goal as a team.
With the change of venue, it's hard to envision much changing for the Canadiens. This looks like a tired and frustrated group, unable to solve a suffocating defense and red-hot goaltender. If Montreal wins, it will likely be a 1-0 or 2-1 kind of score. Carolina should get the job done, but expect another low-scoring game. However, we can't risk more than twice our potential return, so let's take Montreal with the goal spread.
While the Canadiens have had difficulty generating many shots against the Hurricanes, this is an elimination game, and Montreal should be throwing everything at Andersen. Look for Andersen's save total to be at 20 or more. We'll stick with Svechnikov's shots on goal total as well. He cashed this same prop for us in Game 4, and he has three or more shots on goal in five of his past six outings since Game 3 of the Philadelphia series.
- Canadiens +1.5 Goals (+125 at Bet365, BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings and Fanatics Sportsbooks)
- Under 5.5 (-105 at Caesars Sportsbook)
- Frederik Andersen - Over 18.5 Total Saves - 60 min./regulation (-108 at FanDuel)
- Andrei Svechnikov - Over 2.5 SOG (-164 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
Don't make any bets on your favorite sports betting apps without first consulting the latest NHL odds.
Key NHL Betting Trends Shaping Friday's Picks
3-Leg NHL Same-Game Parlay (+350 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Canadiens +1.5 (-128) at Hurricanes
- Under 5.5 (-110) - Canadiens at Hurricanes
- Andrei Svechnikov - Over 2.5 SOG (-164)
