by Chuck Sommers
Saturday, May 14, 2022
Eastern Conference First Round, Game 7
Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
Venue: PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC
Where to watch: ESPN
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Hurricanes -135, Bruins +120
BetMGM: Hurricanes -135, Bruins +110
Caesars: Hurricanes -135, Bruins +115
Ben Burns has reeled off a strong 24-13-0 run over the last month in the NHL. The last week of the NHL season is here before we get cracking to playoff coverage. The postseason is here, the matchups are set, and you can count on our coverage for all the playoff matchups starting this weekend. Who's going to win the Cup? You need to be tuned in here to find out all the expert analysis. Catch Ben's plays available right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers.
Bruins - Hurricanes preview and analysis
Game Seven. The two greatest words in sports. So great, that we're going to say that five times over the course of this weekend, and it's going to be wonderful. And we start things off with probably one of the weirder series we've seen so far, with the Carolina Hurricanes returning home to take on the Boston Bruins in a series where the home team has won every single game.
This is the NHL's version of what's going on between the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns. The home team has won every game, and they haven't really been close. Just when you think the Hurricanes were in great shape to finish off the series in Game 6, the Bruins respond in a huge way with a 5-2 win to force the decisive game in this series.
And the fact we get five of them in the first round ... think about that for a second. This is just the first round. Only three teams have moved on so far, and only one playoff matchup has been determined at this rate. It's truly incredible.
Brad Marchand had a goal and an assist, and Jeremy Swayman saw only 25 shots in yet another strong defensive performance at home from the Bruins.
"We've got to win now one road game," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. "That's what's in front of us. We knew that when we started this series. ... This is what you play for. Guys should be excited. … But we'd play 'em on Mars if we had to. We just want to get after it. That's what it's all about. I'm sure they'd say the same thing."
You look back to the first two games of this series in Carolina. The Hurricanes dominated them overall. Game 1 was close for about 30 minutes before they opened the scoring and then the floodgates poured throughout. Boston responded in the same way in Games 3 and 4, with the Hurricanes following suit in Game 5.
This series just hasn't made sense, and yet with the way the road team has gotten cooked in every single game so far, the door is open for Game 7, and now the Bruins have a chance.
"I thought we should've done a better job sticking with our game and just being confident in what we do, even 5-on-5, and we didn't do that," Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal said. "It was kind of a tailspin, especially going into the third period where we had it right there. … Give them credit, they capitalized on their chances, and made it harder for us to get some shots and create some havoc. We'll have to find a way to get it done at home."
Andrei Svechnikov showed up for the Hurricanes with two goals, but that was it. Antti Raanta went from being a calming presence in net in Game 5 to getting absolutely worked in Game 6. Now, Carolina is in a position where one faulty performance from Raanta could end their historic season.
"Every mistake we made, it felt like they capitalized," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "We got down, and instead of just sticking with it, we tried to do too much. Playing a team like that, they're going to make you pay when you make those kinds of mistakes."
All you want is a chance. The Bruins have it. And when you're in a Game 7, you just throw everything out the window and hope for the best.
"I thought we should've done a better job sticking with our game and just being confident in what we do, even 5-on-5, and we didn't do that," Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal said. "It was kind of a tailspin, especially going into the third period where we had it right there. … Give them credit, they capitalized on their chances, and made it harder for us to get some shots and create some havoc. We'll have to find a way to get it done at home."
Andrei Svechnikov showed up for the Hurricanes with two goals, but that was it. Antti Raanta went from being a calming presence in net in Game 5 to getting absolutely worked in Game 6. Now, Carolina is in a position where one faulty performance from Raanta could end their historic season.
"Every mistake we made, it felt like they capitalized," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "We got down, and instead of just sticking with it, we tried to do too much. Playing a team like that, they're going to make you pay when you make those kinds of mistakes."
All you want is a chance. The Bruins have it. And when you're in a Game 7, you just throw everything out the window and hope for the best.
Prediction
That being said, this is the kind of situation where you feel more comfortable with the home team. I don't want to be a visiting player going on the road to face that hostile crowd. I will say, I don't think this will be a blowout. We finally get a close game in this series, it will be Game 7, and Carolina gets it done. Hurricanes win 4-3
Betting trends
Bruins are 18-5 after two straight overs this season.
Bruins are 17-12 off a home win this season, 44-27 the past three seasons.
Hurricanes are 66-42 the past three seasons off an over.
Hurricanes are 26-16 after playing a road game this season.
Projected lines
Bruins:
Brad Marchand -- Patrice Bergeron -- Jake DeBrusk
Taylor Hall -- Erik Haula -- David Pastrnak
Trent Frederic -- Charlie Coyle -- Craig Smith
Nick Foligno -- Tomas Nosek -- Curtis Lazar
Hampus Lindholm -- Charlie McAvoy
Matt Grzelcyk -- Brandon Carlo
Derek Forbort -- Connor Clifton
Jeremy Swayman
Hurricanes:
Andrei Svechnikov -- Sebastian Aho -- Seth Jarvis
Max Domi -- Vincent Trocheck -- Teuvo Teravainen
Nino Niederreiter -- Derek Stepan -- Jesper Fast
Jordan Martinook -- Jesperi Kotkaniemi -- Martin Necas
Ian Cole -- Tony DeAngelo
Brady Skjei -- Brett Pesce
Brendan Smith -- Ethan Bear
Antti Raanta
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
