Canadian Tire Centre is playing host an Eastern Conference tilt as the Ottawa Senators welcome the visiting Carolina Hurricanes. Sportsnet ONE will broadcast the matchup, which gets going at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 24.
Carolina Hurricanes at Ottawa Senators Odds
Carolina (+115) is entering this one as the underdog to Carolina (-135), and the oddsmakers have put the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals (-110 for the over, -110 for the under).
Carolina is 32-42 straight up (SU) and has lost 16.1 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 74 regular season outings, 38 of its games have gone under the total, while 34 have gone over and just two have pushed. The Canes are 15-21 SU as an away team in 2017-18.
Carolina has converted on 19.5 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 25th out of 31 teams, and the team’s successfully killed off only 77.4 percent of its penalties.
The Canes, as a collective unit, have been penalized just 2.8 times per game overall this season, 3.0 per game over its past five contests total, and 2.8 per game over its last five road outings. The team has had to kill penalties just 5.4 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Sporting a .903 save percentage and 24.9 saves per game, Cam Ward (20-19-4) has been the primary option in goal for Carolina this year. If it chooses to rest him, however, Carolina could roll with Scott Darling (12-27-7 record, .885 save percentage, 3.19 goals against average).
The visiting Hurricanes have relied heavily on Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen this season. Aho has 61 points via 26 goals and 35 assists, and has recorded multiple points in 15 different games. Teravainen has 23 goals and 38 assists to his creditand has notched at least one point in 39 games.
Over on the other bench, Ottawa is 26-47 straight up (SU) and has lost 17.1 units for moneyline bettors thus far. 39 of its contests have gone over the total, while 34 have gone under and none have pushed. The team’s 15-22 SU at home this season.
The Senators have converted on just 17.1 percent of their power play chances this year, a mark that places them in the bottom 10 overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 28th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 75.4 percent of all penalties.
Senators skaters have been sent to the penalty box 3.5 times per game in total this season, and 2.6 per game over their last five at home. The team has had to defend opponent power plays just 6.4 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Craig Anderson (27.4 saves per game) has been the top option in goal for the Senators. Anderson has 22 wins, 31 losses, and six OT losses to his credit and has maintained a poor .899 save percentage and 3.32 goals against average this year.
Mark Stone (20 goals, 42 assists) will lead the offensive attack for the Senators.
Carolina Hurricanes at Ottawa Senators Betting Picks
Free Pick: SU Winner – Senators, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Trends
A majority (59.4 percent) of Carolina’s wins have come by two or more goals, and the team is 19-22 overall in such games. 10 of Ottawa’s wins (38.5 percent) have been decided by two or more goals.
Power plays and penalty kills could prove to be critical in this matchup. The Hurricanes are 16-25 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 26-35 when they’re in the box for fewer than 10 penalty minutes, total. The Senators are 11-22 when the team serves fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 18-31 in games where total penalty minutes are in the single digits.
Carolina is 3-3 in games decided by a shootout this season while Ottawa is 2-7 in shootouts.
The over has hit in three of Ottawa’s last five games.
Ottawa has averaged 2.8 goals per game overall this season, but is averaging 1.7 goals per matchup over its three-game losing streak.
Ottawa has averaged 13.2 giveaways over its last five home games, a rise over its season average of 9.9 giveaways per game (ranked 19th in the league).
Carolina skaters have averaged 7.4 giveaways over its last five home games, an improvement from its season average of 9.9 giveaways per game (ranked 19th).
The Senators this season have registered the sixth-most hits in the NHL (23.9 per game).
xxxxx
