Pinnacle +138 BET365 +135 SportsInteraction +136 BetOnline +137 Bookmaker +135

Posted at 3:00 PM EST. 

Carolina +138 over TAMPA BAY

8:08 PM EST. If not for Andrei Vasilevskiy, this series would still be 2-0 nothing, but rather than the Lightning on top, it would be the Hurricanes. Just to highlight again how luck driven the NHL can be, the 'Canes were all over the Bolts in Game 1, leading the way in puck possession time in the offensive end during five-on-five play by a significant margin. Carolina would go on to outshoot Tampa 38-30. It wasn't totally lopsided, but the 'Canes were dictating the play the majority of the time. In Game 2, it was even more domination, as Carolina would not only increase its 5 on 5 domination, bumping their CF% to and off the charts number, but it also led the way in scoring chances and xGF% (expected goals) by a wide margin. The Hurricanes also outshot the Bolts 32-15. Despite the domination, the 'Canes fell 2-1 for the second game in a row. Market perception is that the ‘Canes are on the ropes and ready to be put out of their misery here, but that could not be further from the truth. The efficient market took its stand as well and has pounded the Bolts since this line opened. Rather than give you our take, we'll let Hurricanes’ coach Rod Brind'Amour sum it up, "We're going toe-to-toe, that's what it feels like, I feel like we're right there." We humbly agree, Coach. The 'Canes have not scored a 5 on 5 goal in this series, but that is an anomaly not the product of the Bolts defensive effort. That anomaly's name is Vasilevskiy. Now we do not know if he will steal another game, but we do know that we are going with the best of it by backing the Hurricanes at an inflated price. It’s not Tampa Bay 2-0, it’s Vasilevskiy 2, Carolina 0, thus, we’ll take the deserving team and allow the chips to fall where they may.

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