The New Jersey Devils will be in desperation mode on Friday night.
Trailing the heavily favored Carolina Hurricanes, 2-0, in their best-of-7 series, the Devils will need a win in Game 3 to avoid being pushed to the brink.
The oddsmakers don’t like their chances all that much.
The Hurricanes are a -165 favorite on the road for Friday’s pivotal contest in Newark.
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The Hurricanes have been relentless through the first 120 minutes of this series, tallying 148 shot attempts and 73 shots on goal in two games.
Carolina’s everything-but-the-kitchen-sink mentality is well known in hockey circles, but it’s tough to prepare for, especially if you’re as undermanned as New Jersey is right now.
Not only are the Devils without Jack Hughes and Jonas Siegenthaler, but they lost Luke Hughes and Brenden Dillon after they sustained injuries in Game 1.
Siegenthaler, Hughes, and Dillon are questionable for Friday night’s tilt. Hughes won’t be back until training camp.
Carolina is fully fit, in good form, and will be encouraged by the performance it is getting from goaltender Freddie Andersen to this point.
The Devils get the added benefit of having the last change on Friday night, but they’re still likely to struggle in keeping with the ferocious Canes.
New Jersey’s only path back into this series is to be able to absorb Carolina’s pressure and counter-punch, so bettors can expect a conservative approach from the home side in Game 3.
That should put the lid on this game, which makes it a good bet to go to overtime at a big number.
The Play: 60-minute draw (+300, Bet365)
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
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