Two powerhouse NHL teams, The Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers, are facing off in a huge Eastern Conference showdown tonight. Both teams have fairly impressive records, but the stakes are high as they battle for positioning in an already tightly contested playoff race.
This game will unquestionably deliver plenty of action, with 2 high-powered offenses ready to put on a show. Fortunately, we’ve got our expert predictions and the best bet for tonight’s matchup.
The Florida Panthers head into tonight’s game as slight favorites at -125 on the moneyline, with the Carolina Hurricanes listed at +105. That’s just about as even as it can get, which doesn’t surprise us given that these are 2 of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. The total for the game is set at 6 goals, with odds slightly favoring the over at -115 which tells us the bookmakers think this has a chance of being a higher-scoring game.
The Panthers have already beaten the Hurricanes twice this season. They’ve outscored them 12-3 across 2 dominant performances. They’ll look to complete the season sweep at home, where they’ve been undoubtedly solid. Florida's offense ranks 6th in the league in goals scored, led by Sam Reinhart’s 22 goals. He’s been on absolute fire. He’s found the back of the net in each of their last 2 wins.
On the other side, the Hurricanes aren’t going to back down so easily. They boast one of the league’s best defensive units, with the top-ranked penalty kill at 85.2%. Of course, they’re great, but Carolina has stumbled lately, losing 3 of their last 4 games. That included a tough shootout loss to Columbus on the last day of the year. There are probably a few reasons for this, such as the absence of Shayne Gostisbehere on the blue line, which is a significant blow, and their goaltending tandem, led by Pyotr Kochetkov, has struggled to deliver consistency.
Florida has thrived offensively this season. Their 3.2 goals per game average is just the proof of their depth. Aleksander Barkov’s playmaking (23 assists) has been a huge boost in creating scoring chances, especially on the power play unit. They’ll look to take advantage of Carolina’s recent defensive lapses, particularly without Gostisbehere.
The Hurricanes, however, really excel at generating chances of their own. They rank 5th in power play efficiency with a solid 25.6% and have a strong scoring duo in Martin Necas and Jack Roslovic. Necas has been the real catalyst for the offense, tallying 31 assists this season. If Carolina can get their top line rolling, we think they have the firepower to keep up with Florida.
Special teams will play a pivotal role in tonight’s game. Florida’s penalty kill sitting at 80.9% has been vulnerable at times, and Carolina will need to find the back of the net on those opportunities. On the other hand, Florida's discipline — ranking near the bottom of the league in penalty minutes — could hurt them if they allow the Hurricanes multiple chances on the man advantage.
Both teams are entering this game with mixed results. The Hurricanes have struggled as of late, particularly on the road, while the Panthers have won 3 of their last 5, including a dominant 5-3 win over the Rangers.
Given Florida’s explosive success against Carolina this season and their home-ice advantage, we’re leaning toward the Panthers to win outright at -125.
They’ve shown they can outplay the Hurricanes in multiple areas. Their offense is more overwhelming and their defense keeps the shots down. We’re thinking that their offensive depth should overwhelm Carolina's depleted blue line.
Best Bet: Over 6 Goals (-115)
While we’re backing Florida to win the over on total goals is the best bet in our book. Both teams have dynamic offenses, and their last few matchups have been fairly high-scoring games. With defensive issues on both sides, we’re expecting another shootout in this one.
BettorsInsider Prediction: Panthers 5, Hurricanes 3