This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
NHL Bets for April 6: Expert NHL Picks and Props for Hurricanes vs. Predators
The Carolina Hurricanes (50-17-9) travel to meet the Nashville Predators (38-30-8) on Thursday night at Bridgestone Arena in the Music City. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET, and the game can be viewed on ESPN+/hulu.
The Hurricanes have picked up three consecutive victories, grinding out a pair of one-goal games in the past two outings against the playoff-hopeful Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders. Carolina has used defense and goaltending to backstop the streak, outscoring the opposition 8-3, including a shutout by Antti Raanta in Montreal on Saturday.
Raanta has come on lately, winning his past two outings since returning from injury. He kicked aside 26 of the 28 shots he faced against the Sens in the OT win, while Martin Necas sent the Caniacs home happy with the game-winning goal at 4:19 of the extra session.
While many Hurricanes faithful were worried about the lack of headline-making moves at the NHL trade deadline, followed by the season-ending injury to Andrei Svechnikov (knee), Carolina has weathered the storm. It remains atop the Metropolitan Division with 109 points, second-best in the NHL, three points clear of the second-place New Jersey Devils with a game in hand.
The Predators have managed 86 points, sitting three points back of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Nashville is very much in play for a postseason spot, as it trails the Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Flames by three points for the final card. However, the Preds have a game in hand on the Jets, and two games in hand on the Flames.
Nashville won the first meeting 5-3 in Raleigh on Jan. 5, and Juuse Saros was amazing. He stopped 64 of 67 shots in the win at PNC Arena, setting a franchise record. The effort also matched the third-most saves in NHL history, including 28 saves in a wild third period.
In the first meeting in North Carolina, Paul Stastny and Filip Forsberg exchanged power-play goals in a 1-1 first period. In the second period, Brady Skjei scored for the home side just 35 seconds into the second, while Mattias Ekholm leveled the game at 2-2. Midway through the period, captain Jordan Staal made it 3-2, but Cody Glass answered to make it 3-3.
In the final period, Mark Jankowski ended up with the eventual game-winner, while Colton Sissons notched the empty-net goal to put a bow on the scoring, despite a flurry of activity from the Canes.
The Hurricanes are 10-4 in the past 14 games on the road, while going 22-9 in the past 31 against winning teams. On the flip side, the Predators are 1-4 in the past five games on a day of rest. Look for Carolina to exact a little revenge, and pick up another big two points in its bid to win a second-consecutive Metropolitan Division.
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NHL Money Line Bets for Hurricanes vs. Predators
- Hurricanes ML (-162 at BetRivers)
Defense has been the name of the game for Carolina, cashing in four in a row for the Metro leaders. The Undere is 4-1 in the past five after a win, and 5-2 in the past seven on a day of rest.
In addition, the Under is 9-4-1 in the past 14 games for the Canes against teams with a winning overall record.
For the Predators, the Undere has hit at a 3-1-1 clip in the past five games overall, while going 7-2 in the past nine games in Smashville.
In addition, Nashville has seen the total go low at a 5-2 mark in the past seven against Eastern Conference teams, and also 5-2 in the past seven against the Metropolitan Division.
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NHL Totals Bets for Hurricanes vs. Predators
- Under 6 (-122 at BetRivers)
NHL Game Props for Hurricanes vs. Predators
In this Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference matchup, we'll look at two players on the Canes to cash on the player props.
Carolina's Brent Burns has posted a goal with two assists and a plus-3 rating in the past four games overall. He has managed 12 shots in the past three games, too. In addition, he posted six shots on goal in the first meeting against the Predators on Jan. 5. As such, Over 2.5 shots on goal (SOG) is a great play.
- Brent Burns Over 2.5 SOG (-165 at FanDuel)
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Jesperi Kotkaniemi has been red-hot for the Hurricanes, notching goals in each of the past two games, going for three points total. He is up to 16 goals and 39 points this season, and for a chance to triple up, the Finn is worth a roll of the dice.
- Jesperi Kotkaniemi Anytime Goal Scorer (+350 at FanDuel)
