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Carolina Hurricanes vs New York Islanders December 17th 2024
Looking to win big? The Islanders and Hurricanes face off at 7:30 ET on ESPN+. The Hurricanes are hosting the game at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, NC. The over/under for this Metropolitan division contest is set at 5.5 goals, with the Hurricanes being favored by -1.5 at home against the Islanders.
New York vs. Carolina Key Information
- Teams: Islanders at Hurricanes
- Where: Lenovo Center Raleigh
- Date: Tuesday, December 17th
- Betting Odds CAR -223 | NYI +185 O/U 5.5
The Islanders Can Win If…
Following a 5-2 loss to the Rangers, the Islanders are now 12-13-7 this season. The Islanders entered the game as the underdog on the puck line, and the total was set at 6 goals. The combined 7 goals surpassed that mark.
New York fell behind 2-0 before Casey Cizikas scored at 15:22 in the second period. The Islanders added another goal in the second, but the Rangers responded with two more to seal the win.
In their 5-2 loss to the Rangers, the Islanders fired 37 shots on goal but only found the net twice. Casey Cizikas scored his first goal of the season, while Brock Nelson added his fifth, with his goal coming just 8 seconds before the second period ended.
Despite the offensive effort, the Islanders had 23 giveaways. Pierre Engvall picked up his first assist of the season on Cizikas’ goal, while Simon Holmstrom now has 4 assists. Kyle Palmieri and Anders Lee also contributed with assists, bringing their totals to 4 and 3, respectively.
The Islanders’ defense had a tough outing, allowing five goals on 39 shots from the Rangers. Ilya Sorokin made 35 saves, finishing with an 89.7% save percentage. The Islanders gave up the first two goals of the game and two more in the 3rd period, including an empty-netter. They also conceded a power-play goal in the 2nd period.
- The Islanders have gone 1-2 over their last three regular season games. In these matchups, they ended with an puck line record of 0-3 and an over-under mark of 2-1.
- The Islanders have gone 4-6 over their last ten regular season games. Across these games, their puck line record was just 4-6, while posting an over-under record of 6-3-1.
The Hurricanes Can Win If…
With a 4-2 win over the Capitals, the Hurricanes moved to 19-10-1 this season. Carolina covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 6 goals matched the pre-game line.
Carolina scored first, but the Capitals responded with two goals in the first period. The Hurricanes then scored three unanswered goals, including an empty-netter, to secure the win.
Dmitry Orlov scored twice for the Hurricanes, bringing his season total to three goals. He found the net at 5:59 in the first period and added another at 14:34 in the second. Martin Necas, who scored his sixth goal of the season, also picked up two assists, giving him 12 assists this year. Andrei Svechnikov closed out the scoring with his sixth goal, an empty-netter with just 9 seconds left in the game.
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Carolina took 45 shots on goal but failed to convert on any power play opportunities. After Orlov’s early goal, the Hurricanes tied the game at 2-2 with Necas’s goal at 17:31 in the second period.
Carolina’s defense gave up two late goals in the first period, but they tightened up from there, not allowing another goal for the rest of the game. Pyotr Kochetkov finished with 19 saves and a 90.5% save percentage, while the Hurricanes’ defense added 7 takeaways and 10 hits.
- Through their last three games, the Hurricanes have a record of 2-1. However, they have only gone 1-2 vs. the puck line over this stretch. Their over-under record in these three games was 0-3.
- Carolina has put together a record of 5-5 in their last ten games (regular season). Against the spread, Carolina went 3-7 in these games and finished with an over-under mark of 5-4-1.
The Lean
If you’re considering a direct moneyline bet, the Hurricanes is the choice to make. However, with a payout of -223, you might want to use this bet as a building block for a parlay.
If you’re looking for a puck line bet, I’d suggest going with the Islanders to cover. Even in the event of a Hurricanes victory, this game is expected to be closely fought, and the Islanders should cover the puck line.
With an over/under line sitting at 5.5 goals, we like this game to surpass that mark and recommend getting a bet down on the over.
Hurricanes Look to Build Offensive Momentum Against Islanders
The Carolina Hurricanes aim to keep their offensive rhythm going when they host the New York Islanders on Tuesday night in Raleigh, N.C. Both teams come into this matchup looking for consistency as they navigate through streaky stretches of play.
Hurricanes Finding Offense at the Right Time
Carolina (15-10-2) snapped out of its recent scoring struggles with a 4-1 win over Columbus on Sunday. After winning just three of their last eight games, the Hurricanes finally looked like themselves, dominating both ends of the ice.
Forward Jordan Martinook summed up the team’s focus after the win:
“That (Sunday) was more of how it looks and how we play, and everybody was pulling on the same rope,” Martinook said. “Hopefully, we can build off that because we did a lot of good things.”
Martinook and teammate William Carrier both ended long scoring droughts—each had gone 13 games without a goal. For the Hurricanes, these contributions are a welcome sight as they search for secondary scoring to complement their stars.
Carolina’s top forward, Sebastian Aho, also broke an eight-game scoring drought with a short-handed goal to open the scoring Sunday. Aho, who led the team in scoring last season, has been a key catalyst when Carolina’s offense is firing.
Meanwhile, Martin Necas has been Carolina’s most reliable playmaker this season. With 30 assists in 30 games, Necas joined Ron Francis (1982-83) as the only players in franchise history to achieve such a feat. Necas has seven points in his last six games and remains a steady force in the Hurricanes’ attack.
Carolina head coach Rod Brind’Amour may turn to Pyotr Kochetkov in net for Tuesday’s game, despite Dustin Tokarski earning a win in his Hurricanes debut on Sunday. Kochetkov, who started against the Islanders earlier this month, will look to rebound after allowing four goals in that matchup.
Islanders Look for Consistency and Health
The Islanders (13-8-7) head into Tuesday’s contest looking to bounce back from a 5-3 loss to Chicago on Sunday, the opening game of their three-game road trip. Despite the loss, the Islanders remain confident.
“We gave ourselves a chance to win a hockey game,” Islanders captain Anders Lee said.
The key for New York will be finding more consistency. Defenseman Noah Dobson acknowledged the need for a better overall effort:
“I think we need to be a little bit more consistent,” Dobson said. “We have to reset. Obviously, a tough game on Tuesday.”
The Islanders’ power play was a sore spot against Chicago, going 0-for-4. Improving special teams will be crucial, especially against a Carolina team that thrives on momentum shifts.
The Islanders did receive a boost with the return of center Mathew Barzal, who played on Sunday for the first time since late October. Barzal, who logged nearly 21 minutes of ice time, remains a critical piece of New York’s offensive puzzle.
“That’s the key, just moving on,” Barzal said. “We just got to find a way to get these games.”
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Meanwhile, center Bo Horvat missed Sunday’s game with a lower-body injury and remains a game-time decision for Tuesday. Horvat’s absence was felt, as the Islanders struggled to generate offense outside of a few key moments.
Recent History: Islanders Took First Meeting
The Islanders earned a 4-3 victory over the Hurricanes on Dec. 7 in New York. In that game:
- Jean-Gabriel Pageau led the way with three points for the Islanders.
- Andrei Svechnikov scored twice for Carolina.
- Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin made 28 saves, while Carolina’s Pyotr Kochetkov allowed four goals on 25 shots.
Since then, Pageau has been held off the scoresheet in three of four games, and the Hurricanes will aim to neutralize him this time around.
Key Matchup: Carolina’s Resurgent Offense vs. New York’s Defense
Carolina’s offense showed signs of life against Columbus, but they’ll need to replicate that energy against a disciplined Islanders team. If Sebastian Aho and Martin Necas can continue driving play, the Hurricanes will test New York’s defense and Sorokin’s ability to keep them in the game.
For the Islanders, Mathew Barzal and Noah Dobson will be pivotal in sparking offensive opportunities, especially if Bo Horvat remains unavailable.
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What’s at Stake
For Carolina, a win would provide a much-needed confidence boost as they prepare for a challenging four-game road trip.
For New York, this game is about avoiding consecutive losses and finding consistency on the road during a critical stretch of the season.
The Bottom Line
The Hurricanes appear to be rediscovering their offensive identity, while the Islanders need to tighten up defensively and rediscover their power-play rhythm. Both teams are hungry for a win, making this rematch a hard-fought, physical battle.
Can Carolina maintain its momentum and capitalize on home-ice advantage, or will the Islanders bounce back and grab another win in the season series? Tuesday night in Raleigh will provide the answer.
