Like taxes in April, the Hurricanes are playing playoff hockey in May.
For the sixth consecutive spring, Carolina advanced to the second round after sweeping the Senators. Rod Brind’Amour’s suffocating forecheck and elite defensive structure strangled a green Ottawa team that never held a lead for a second in the series.
Now come the Flyers, who almost squandered a 3-0 series lead to the Penguins until Cam York’s overtime wrister sealed the series in six.
The Hurricanes were 3-0-1 against the Flyers in the regular season and carry a costly -200 price tag to win Game 1 and -345 for the series.
It’s a battle-tested group that oddsmakers can trust after three conference finals appearances in the last seven years, whereas the young Flyers just hatched from a lengthy rebuild.
But for all the gaps in experience, this series will feature the most intriguing goaltending bout of the playoffs. Frederik Andersen delivered four unblemished performances, leading the playoffs with a .955 save percentage and a 7.6 Goals Saved Above Expected.
It’s only four games to examine, but in years past, Andersen has been inconsistent in high-leverage playoff moments. He denied 18 of 19 high-danger chances against Ottawa, instilling the confidence his team needed to play aggressively in front of him.
Right behind him is Dan Vladar, whose .937 save percentage and 6.9 Goals Saved Above Expected rank third and second overall, respectively. Alas, there is franchise goaltending in Philadelphia as Vladar is burgeoning off a 42-save shutout to oust the Penguins.
He’s serviced the Flyers with timely saves under pressure by tracking pucks through traffic and controlling rebounds, which has been an anchor in gritty wins. Vladar stopped 22 of 24 high-danger shots against Pittsburgh and — along with Andersen — ranks within the top-four goalies in puck freezes per save.
The Hurricanes’ playoff-leading penalty kill will have no problem stunting a Flyers power play that converted at a measly 11.8 percent clip.
Rick Tocchet’s running a tight defensive ship as the Flyers have allowed only 2.38 goals per game since the Olympic break.
With the total set at 5.5, I’m willing to play limbo as these two teams have some getting acquainted to do, having never met in the playoffs before.
THE PLAY: Under 5.5 (+105, bet365)
Sean Treppedi handicaps the NFL, NHL, MLB and college football for the New York Post. He primarily focuses on picks that reflect market value while tracking trends to mitigate risk.
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