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The Carolina Hurricanes have fought back from the bottom of the Eastern Conference to currently holding the eighth and final playoff spot. But their hold is tenuous. The Hurricanes have a two-point lead over the hard-charging Buffalo Sabres and the Atlanta Thrashers. If it weren’t for a Sabres loss on Wednesday night, the Hurricanes would be tied with Buffalo. Considering the leap the Hurricanes have made, their progress is impressive. But missing the playoffs would wipe all of that progress away.
If you bet on college basketball then you know that every game counts. As the trade deadline NHL approaches, the Philadelphia Flyers are in a battle with the Vancouver Canucks for the top spot in the league standings and the President’s Trophy. Considering that no team in recent years has won the President’s Trophy and then gone on to win the Stanley Cup, one would think that the pursuit of the top spot in the league would be muted. But the 5dimes experts know that winning is all about momentum, and the Flyers would like to keep their momentum going into the playoffs.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes have a good home record at 14-9-2. But, in their last 10 games, Carolina has only won four and their most recent loss to the New Jersey Devils cost them the chance to tie the New York Rangers for seventh place in the Eastern Conference. The problem for the Hurricanes has been scoring. Goaltender Cam Ward is 1-2-2 in his last five games, but he is giving up an average of only 2.8 goals per game in that stretch. The Hurricanes just cannot score, and when they line up against Philly goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and that Flyers defense, the Hurricanes are not going to find the goal scoring any easier.
Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers are trying to re-gain that form that took them to the Stanley Cup finals last season, and they are there. Philadelphia scores goals by the boat load, and Bobrovsky has been one of the biggest goaltending surprises all season long. But the Flyers should ask the Washington Capitals and Detroit Red Wings about trying to take a hot team with a rookie goaltender into the playoffs. Things do not always work out so well.
For now, the Flyers are 7-3-0 in their last 10 games and riding a two-game winning streak. Unless something unexpected happens, the seven-point cushion between the Flyers and the Tampa Bay Lightning should be enough to solidify the Flyers’ top spot in the Eastern Conference. If Philadelphia is smart, they are not even worried about the President’s Trophy.
The Bottom Line:
The Hurricanes are a game bunch, but they do not have the fire power to stand toe to toe with the Flyers. The Flyers are trying to maintain their winning ways and see themselves right back into the Stanley Cup finals again. Even though the Hurricanes have a great home record, they won’t be able to stand up to Philadelphia.
Pick: Philadelphia Flyers
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