PNC Arena will be the site for an Eastern Conference clash as the Ottawa Senators pay a visit to the Carolina Hurricanes. The opening face-off is at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, January 30, and you can watch it live on Fox Sports Carolina.
Ottawa Senators at Carolina Hurricanes Odds
Carolina (-170) is currently the favorite over Ottawa (+150), and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. The line for betting that total stands at -105 for the over and -115 on the under.
Carolina is 22-27 straight up (SU) and has lost 6.7 units for moneyline bettors this year. That early-season winning percentage is right in line with what the team managed during last years regular season (36-46). Out of its 49 regular season outings, 24 of them have gone under the total, while 23 have gone over and just two have pushed. The teams 10-11 SU at home this year.
The Hurricanes have converted on 19.0 percent of their power play chances this season, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, their penalty kill is rated 28th overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 77.3 percent of all penalties.
As a team, the Hurricanes have been penalized just 2.8 times per game overall this season, and 4.0 per game over their last five contests. The teams had to kill penalties for just 7.6 minutes per game over their last 10 matchups, in total.
Boasting a .892 save percentage and 23.9 saves per game, Scott Darling (nine wins, 20 losses, and six OT losses) has been the top option in goal for the Canes this year. If head coach Bill Peters decides to rest him, however, Carolina could turn to Cam Ward (13-10-10 record, .904 save percentage, 2.87 goals against average).
The Canes will continue relying on offensive production via Teuvo Teravainen and Sebastian Aho. Teravainen (39 points) has tallied 13 goals and 26 assists and has recorded multiple points in nine different games this year. Aho has 16 goals and 21 assists to his credit and has recorded at least one point in 24 games.
Ottawa is 15-32 straight up (SU) and has lost 18.9 units for moneyline bettors this year. A total of 24 of its games have gone over the total, while 23 have gone under and none have pushed. As the visiting team so far, the Senators are 6-16 SU.
The Senators have converted on just 15.1 percent of their power play opportunities this year, a mark that places them in the bottom- overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 30th overall and it’s successfully killed off 74.6 percent of all penalties.
Ottawa’s players have been penalized 3.6 times per game in total this season, and 2.8 per game over their last five road outings. The team has had to defend opponent power plays just 7.7 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Craig Anderson (27.3 saves per game) has been the primary option in goal for Ottawa. Anderson has 13 wins, 22 losses, and five OT losses to his credit, while registering a .901 save percentage and 3.20 goals against average this year.
Leading the offensive counter for the visiting Senators will be Mark Stone, who has 18 goals and 26 assists on the year.
Ottawa Senators vs. Carolina Hurricanes Betting Picks
NHL Tip: SU Winner – Hurricanes, O/U – Under
Betting Trends
- 59.1 percent of Carolina’s wins have come by two or more goals (the team is 13-11 overall in such games) while 40.0 percent of Ottawa’s wins have come by two goals or more (6-16 overall in such games).
- Ottawa has averaged 2.6 goals per game this year, but has been averaging 1.4 goals per matchup over its five-game losing skid.
- Extra-man opportunities may prove to be even more key than usual in tonight’s game. The Senators are 6-16 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 10-19 when they’re in the box for fewer than 10 penalty minutes, total. The Hurricanes are 12-16 when the team serves fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 18-22 in games where they’re in the box for less than 10 minutes.
- Carolina is 3-3 in games decided by a shootout this season while Ottawa is 1-5 in shootouts.
- The total has gone under in three of Carolina’s last five outings.
- Carolina is ranked 19th this season with 9.7 giveaways per game. That figure has trended lower recently, however, as it’s averaged 8.0 giveaways over its last 10 games and 7.8 giveaways over its last five.
- Ottawa skaters have averaged 9.0 giveaways over its last five home games, an improvement from its season average of 10.0 giveaways per game (ranked 20th in the league).
- Ottawa skaters have accounted for the leagues eighth-most hits per game (23.7), but that numbers down to just 19.6 hits over their last five away games.
