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The second round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs kicks off on Saturday, May 2, with the Philadelphia Flyers visiting the Carolina Hurricanes in an Eastern Conference clash. The Flyers took down the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games while the Hurricanes swept the Ottawa Senators and haven't played since last Saturday. The Canes are a fixture in the late stages of the playoffs while the Flyers are trying to make the Eastern Conference Final for the first time since the 2009-10 campaign. The Hurricanes won three of four against the Flyers this year. Three of those four games went to a shootout and the other was decided in overtime. 

The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NHL game 10,000 times, has issued its NHL picks and best bets for Saturday's Game 1 matchup between the Flyers and Hurricanes. The model entered the second full week of the 2026 NHL playoffs with a +668 return on top-rated money-line NHL picks. Anyone following its NHL betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen strong returns.

With all eyes on Saturday's matchup between the Flyers and Hurricanes, there are plenty of options for bettors, including spread betting, Over/Under bets, money line betting and player prop betting. Bettors can also combine multiple picks and make a parlay bet for Saturday's game.

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NHL Playoffs picks for Saturday, May 2

  • Over 5.5
  • Flyers +1.5
  • Flyers money line

Flyers-Hurricanes Over 5.5

The Hurricanes have leaned to the Over this year, but their four-game series with the Senators yielded just 16 total goals with only Game 4 clearing this line. Just two of the Flyers' first-round matchup with the Penguins went Over 5.5 goals. However, the model is backing the Over here with that hitting in 54.1% of simulations.  

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Flyers +1.5

It feels like every  NHL playoff game is tight, and even though the Hurricanes are favored and are playing at home, the model expects Philadelphia to keep things close and cover the puck line. Philly covered +1.5 in all but one of its six games last series, and the Hurricanes failed to cover in two of their four games against Ottawa. The Flyers were also elite against the spread this year at 56-32 ATS compared to a 36-50 ATS mark for Carolina. The Flyers cover in 74% of simulations. 

Flyers money line vs. Hurricanes

The Hurricanes are sizable favorites at home for Game 1, but the model likes the Flyers' chances. Not only does Philly cover the puck line in the vast majority of simulations, but it wins outright 49% of the time to return value at current money line odds. 

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