Hurricanes-Islanders series odds: Who is favored to win first round of 2023 NHL playoffs?

The Carolina Hurricanes will take on the New York Islanders in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs beginning on Monday, April 17 with Game 1. The Hurricanes defeated the Florida Panthers in the regular-season finale to clinch the Metropolitan Division title. The Islanders were able to get some help from the Pittsburgh Penguins and clinch a wild card spot. Below we'll take a look at the odds to win the series on DraftKings Sportsbook.

2023 NHL Playoffs: Hurricanes vs. Islanders odds

CAR: -190
NYI: +160

The Hurricanes are pretty big favorites to win the series on the series prop line on DKSB. Carolina did lose wing Andrei Svechnikov to injury during the second half of the season and struggled a bit down the stretch. The Hurricanes also may go with a goalie tandem of Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta in net. Alternating goalies in the postseason can be a bit risky. Not exactly knowing whether to ride the hot hand or not. That will be a big key in this series with Ilya Sorokin on the other side.

What the Islanders do well is play a physical, defensive style. New York was a top-5 defensive team in terms of goals allowed this season and have a top-10 penalty kill. Bo Horvat was acquired from the Canucks before the deadline but he hasn't translated to much more offense. That will be the big question mark for the Islanders: Who steps up and scores in a big spot or on the power play? In the 2020 run to the East Final, Anthony Beauvillier was an X-Factor along with Brock Nelson and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Beau is gone. Nelson, JGP and Mat Barzal are still hanging around so maybe it's a veteran who steps up.

Either way, this series should go 6-7 games, which gives the Islanders a shot. They're built more for the playoffs and have the edge in net. Stealing home-ice early will be key as well. My lean is the Islanders on the series line. This should be more even than the books suggest.

  
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