1/15 4:05 PM NHL (55) VANCOUVER CANUCKS at (56) CAROLINA HURRICANES
FREE PICK: (56) CAROLINA HURRICANES -110
There aren’t an abundance of spots where I feel any confidence in making a case for the Hurricanes. They’re a franchise in transition this season, as there’s new management in place and the future is later rather than now for Carolina.
But the ‘Canes have shown a little life lately and tonight’s game with Vancouver appears to be on they’ve got a good shot to win.
Vancouver is playing the second of back to back games, and that has been a sore point for the Canucks this season, as it was for much of last year as well. Ryan Miller pitched the impressive shutout for the ‘Nucks at Philadelphia on Thursday. But as Miller has not started two games in two nights all season, so it would appear as though backup Eddie Lack will likely get the call in goal here for Vancouver. Lack is a decent enough second stringer, but the Canucks have not done well when he starts.
As for Carolina, they’ve been a terrible team on the road but the home ledger is actually respectable. Plus, the Hurricanes are actually playing pretty well of late. They’ve won three of their last five, with a well played loss at Nashville and a shootout defeat at St. Louis the only losses. So this might actually be a good time to be giving Carolina a roll.
Given the fact that the Canucks were actually in a pretty physical duel with the Flyers on Thursday in spite of what was a comfortable win, they figure to perhaps be not so fresh here. Add in the documented issues this year has been having when playing with no rest and the likelihood that the number two goalie plays tonight, and I think it’s pretty easy to see why this price is where it is tonight. I’m going to opt for the Hurricanes to pick up the win as the Friday free play.