The 2022 Stanley Cup starts Monday, May 2, with the Eastern Conference First Round showdown at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina, so we bring you the best Bruins vs. Hurricanes betting pick along with the latest odds update on Bookmaker Sportsbook.  

The Hurricanes open as -120 moneyline favorites, while the Bruins are listed as +100 road underdogs with a total of 5.5 goals. Carolina and Boston met three times this past regular season, and the Hurricanes swept the Bruins.  

The Bruins won six of their last eight games                   

The Boston Bruins (51-26-5) suffered a 5-2 defeat at the Toronto Maple Leafs in the regular-season finale. They put an end to their four-game winning streak, finishing at the fourth spot in the Atlantic Division with 107 points. 

The Bruins were scoring 3.12 goals per game (15th in the NHL) while surrendering 2.69 in a return (4th). Brad Marchand led the way for Boston with 80 points (32 goals and 48 assists); David Pastrnak accounted for 40 goals and 37 dishes, while Patrice Bergeron added 25 goals and 40 assists. 

Linus Ullmark is expected to guard the cage in Game 1. The 28-year-old netminder was 26-10-2 with a 2.45 GAA and .917 save percentage last regular season. Ullmark has gone 3-2-0 over his previous five starts, yielding just six goals in the process. 

The Hurricanes are rolling on a six-game win streak      

The Carolina Hurricanes (54-20-8) finished the regular season on a high note. The Canes defeated the New Jersey Devils 6-3 this past Thursday, extending their winning streak to six games. For the first time in franchise history, Carolina won the Metropolitan Division title.  

The Hurricanes owned the lowest-scoring defense in the regular season, surrendering only 2.44 goals per contest. On the other side of the ice, the Canes were tallying 3.38 goals per game (9th). Sebastian Aho led the charge for Carolina with 81 points (37 goals and 44 assists), while Andrei Svechnikov added 30 goals and 39 assists. 

Frederik Andersen (35-14-3; 2.17 GAA; .922 SV%) will miss Game 1 due to a lower-body injury, so Antti Raanta will patrol the crease for the Canes. The 32-year-old goalie went 15-5-4 with a 2.45 GAA and .912 save percentage in 2021-22. Raanta has emerged victorious in four consecutive starts, allowing nine goals in the process. 

Trends:

Boston: 

  • 1-4 in the last five playoff games   

Carolina:

  • 6-0 in the last six games overall  
  • 5-1 in the last six games against the Eastern Conference   

Boston Bruins vs. Carolina Hurricanes Pick 

Frederik Andersen’s absence is a massive blow for the Hurricanes, but they’ve still gone undefeated in six games without their first-choice goaltender. Carolina looks like a top-notch defensive team, and the Canes will look to extend their dominance over the Bruins despite Andersen’s injury. 

Back in the regular season, the Hurricanes outscored the Bruins 16-1 through three encounters, and Boston has failed to score on two occasions. Their first playoff contest will be way closer, and playing in front of the home fans should help the Hurricanes. 

Pick: Take Carolina Hurricanes at -120                 

The Total:

Over their last two meetings, the Hurricanes have scored a thumping 13 goals while surrendering only one. They’ve defeated the Bruins 3-0 in their first duel of the 2021-22 regular season, and I’m not expecting to see a high-scoring affair in their first meeting in the postseason. 

The under is 7-2 in Boston’s last nine outings at any location, and it is 4-1 in the Bruins’ previous five road games against the Hurricanes. Also, 13 of Carolina’s last 18 showings on the home ice have gone under the total. 

Pick: Go under 5.5 goals at -105