Posted at 3:30 PM EST odds are subject to change.

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St. Louis over Carolina

Detroit over Washington

7:07 PM EST. OT included. Rather than write these games up as separate entities, we are going to lump them together because situationally speaking, this fade is born from the Stadium Series game played on Saturday afternoon in which the Hurricanes hosted the Capitals at Carter–Finley Stadium in Raleigh, home of the NC State Wolfpack, and host to some of the greats including Beyonce, The Rolling Stones, and U2. All that to say, when there is an event at the stadium outside of the football games, it’s a big deal.

In case you forgot, this Stadium Series game was supposed to be played two years ago, but the pandemic put a squash on that. For a team and a city that has never hosted an outdoor game, the wait was excruciating. However, the lost time was made up for with a vigorous enthusiasm we don’t often see. When it’s your first rodeo, you want to make it special.

The city of Raleigh has been draped in Canes’ colors for nearly two months, and the team took over last weekend with festivities from Friday through to puck drop. For a market known for its tailgating prowess, the “Cane-iacs” put them to shame. It was a hockey lovers' paradise with street hockey being played between cars, grills sizzling, smokers smoking, and the beer flowing. Even the stuffy old NHL got in on the fun hosting a party of its own with the Lord Stanley’s Cup outside of the stadium. The parking lot at the stadium looked like the NHL’s dream of what this event should be.

It was a community event. The Wolfpack sent in the marching band, and the team’s youth and community ambassadors were allowed onto the field to take in the atmosphere during warm-ups. That college-town atmosphere suits the NHL so well, and they’d be well advised to book more venues like Carter–Finley Stadium in the future. The student section was filled. Gosh, forbid we recruit a few young new fans along the way, hey Uncle Gary?

You may have noticed we’ve spent little time talking about the action on the ice, but that’s the point. The game was an afterthought, but we’ll note that it put a nice bow on the perfect hockey showcase in a market where the NHL is not the number-one game in town. If we’re being honest, the NHL probably isn’t in the top five when you consider the litter of Blue Devils, Tar Heels, Wolfpack, and other college teams around Raleigh, but do you know who all those sports fans can get behind? The Hurricanes.

Carolina would go on to win 4-1, which was the best case for all involved (other than the Capitals). There were walls of fire, fireworks, and a “Storm Surge” for the ages, as the Hurricanes paid tribute to the more than 50,000 in attendance. To a jaded television audience, maybe the Stadium Series/Heritage/Winter Classic has become a little passé, but on Saturday night in North Carolina, it was the biggest thing going.

As for the Capitals, while they did not have the extra-curricular responsibilities that come with hosting the Stadium Series, they did get swept up in the storm. That 4-1 loss was just more salt into the wound of a team that cannot find its way at the moment. The Caps have lost four straight, getting outshot by double digits to both the Sharks and ‘Canes (losing both games 4-1).

As we stated at the top, this is strictly a situation fade on the two teams that played in the Stadium Series. That said, we could have solely faded the Hurricanes and backed the Blues, but the Wings are playing some pretty good hockey right now and are right in the thick of it in the East. Detroit’s young players can’t wait to get back on the ice, which is the total opposite of Washington in its current form. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Let’s cash both these tickets.

Officially, we are in on:

St. Louis +300 (2 units to win 6 units) - BET365

Detroit +137 (2 units to win 2.74 units) - Pinnacle 

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