This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
NHL Picks for April 17: Expert NHL Bets and Props for Islanders vs. Hurricanes
The top wild card in the Eastern Conference, the New York Islanders (42-31-9), travels to meet the Metropolitan Division winner, the Carolina Hurricanes (52-21-9), in a first-round series. Puck drop for Game 1 is at 7 p.m. ET at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C., and the game can be viewed on ESPN2.
These teams met four times during the regular season, with Carolina winning the season series 3-1.
New York posted a 6-2 win back on Oct. 28 in Raleigh, cashing as a rather moderate underdog (+168). The final three meetings, including both matchups at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y., went to the Hurricanes. Carolina eased by the Islanders 2-1 on April 2 in the most recent meeting in Raleigh, too.
That most recent game is likely what you can expect for the series. It should be low-scoring, close, and fingernail-biting time if you're a fan or a bettor, as this series will be tight. Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored late in the first period in that early April meeting in Raleigh, sending the Isles to the room with a 1-0 lead. However, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, with help from Jesse Puljujarvi and Stefan Noesen, tied it up midway through the second period.
In the third period, it was a Marty Party, and PNC Arena was invited. Jordan Martinook beat Ilya Sorokin at 2:31, and that stood up as the game winner. The Canes were able to kill off a cross-checking penalty to Sebastian Aho at 15:24 of the third period, and then, ironically, the 'other' Sebastian Aho had a hooking call with 2:29 left in regulation. You don't see that very often.
Ilya Sorokin (31-22-7, 2.34 GAA, .924 SV%, 6 SO) made 33 saves in that loss, while Frederik Andersen (21-11-1, 2.48 GAA, .903 SV%, 1 SO) turned aside 21 of the 22 shots he faced in the narrow win.
Sorokin and "The Great Dane" are expected to be in the crease for Game 1. Andersen missed the playoffs last season after a late lower-body injury knocked him out for the postseason, so he should be amped for his first playoff start since Aug. 9, 2020, when he was a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
We saw the Hurricanes win three of the four meetings in the regular season, and Game 1 should be no different. While I am hoping the Islanders win at least one game in this series, since I have tickets for Game 5 in Raleigh, it isn't going to be in the series opener.
Back the Hurricanes in Game 1 on the money line, although I'd avoid getting crazy and taking the puck line. This one could be decided in overtime, too.
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NHL Money Line Bets for Islanders vs. Hurricanes
- Hurricanes ML (-165 at BetMGM)
In the four regular-season meetings, only one game was decided by a single goal, the most recent battle. However, the Under cashed in two of the past three meetings, and it took a natural hat trick from Sebastian Aho to close out the scoring, inching the Over across the finish line in the Jan. 21 meeting on the Island.
The Under is 3-1-1 in the past five meetings against Metropolitan Division opponents, while cashing at a 4-1-1 clip in the past six when playing on three or more days of rest.
New York has also hit the Under at an 8-3-1 pace in the past 12 in the conference quarterfinals round.
For Carolina, the Under has dominated lately, too. The Under hit in the final four home games, while going 7-1 in the past eight inside the Metropolitan Division. The Under is also 8-2 in the past 10 games, as Carolina has had some issues lighting the lamp, especially since Andrei Svechnikov went down with a season-ending knee injury shortly after the NHL trade deadline.
Go low on the Game 1 total.
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NHL Totals Bets for Islanders vs. Hurricanes
- Under 5.5 (-130 at BetMGM)
NHL Player Props for Islanders vs. Hurricanes
Again, for Game 1, and most games I pick, I like to take a look at NHL player props on both sides. It makes it more fun.
New York's Brock Nelson managed four goals and six points in his final four regular-season games. He has been feeling it at the offensive end lately. More importantly, Nelson scored three times in the four regular-season meetings with the Hurricanes, too. For a chance to nearly triple up, you can't pass on Nelson.
- Brock Nelson Anytime Goal Scorer (+260 at FanDuel)
Carolina's Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored in the most recent meeting with New York, and he managed two goals and four points in the final four regular-season games overall. He had a goal and an assist against the Islanders in four games, and he is worth a roll of the dice to simply get one point, either via goal or assist.
- Jesperi Kotkaniemi Over 0.5 Points (+108 at FanDuel)
