The Florida Panthers are one step away from their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final after taking down the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games. If they want to defend their title, the Panthers have to go through a much more well-rested Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final.
The Panthers went into Toronto Sunday night and flexed their postseason prowess with a 6-1 blowout in Game 7. That game was a showcase for everything Florida can be when it’s firing on all cylinders.
The offense featured a balanced attack led by newcomer Brad Marchand. Seth Jones elevated his game to give the Panthers another impact player on the blue line and Sergei Bobrovsky made a couple big saves early. When they play like that, the Panthers are nearly impossible to beat.
That may not faze the Hurricanes, who waltzed through these playoffs so far, going 8-2 in the first two rounds. As is always the case with Rod Brind’Amour’s teams, Carolina has been stingy in the defensive end, allowing just 18 goals through 10 games.
The difference for the Hurricanes, to this point, has been the offensive production from stars at the top of the lineup. Andrei Svechnikov is already at eight goals this postseason, and Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis average a point per game. The key for the Canes in this Eastern Final is making sure that offense doesn’t drop off too much against a much tougher opponent defensively.
The last time these two teams met in the Eastern Conference Final, in 2023, the Panthers swept the Hurricanes. Carolina should be capable of making it more of a series now.
Where to watch Game 1 of Panthers vs. Hurricanes
Date: Tuesday, May 20 | Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Lenovo Center — Raleigh, North Carolina
TV: TNT, truTV | Stream: fubo (try for free)
Eastern Conference Final schedule
All times Eastern
Game 1: Tuesday, May 20 | 8 p.m. | at CAR | TNT, truTV, Max
Game 2: Thursday, May 22 | 8 p.m. | at CAR | TNT, truTV, Max
Game 3: Saturday, May 24 | 8 p.m. | at FLA | TNT, truTV, Max
Game 4: Monday, May 26 | 8 p.m. | at FLA | TNT, truTV, Max
*Game 5: Wednesday, May 28 | 8 p.m. | at CAR | TNT, truTV, Max
*Game 6: Friday, May 30 | 8 p.m. | at FLA | TNT, truTV, Max
*Game 7: Sunday, June 1 | 8 p.m. | at CAR | TNT, truTV, Max
Hurricanes vs. Panthers odds
Odds via DraftKings
- Series odds: Panthers -125, Hurricanes +105
- Game 1 odds: Hurricanes -125, Panthers +105
Game 1 score prediction
With the Panthers coming off a long and physical series against the Maple Leafs, the Hurricanes should have the edge on home ice in Game 1. Those fresh legs give Carolina’s deep forward group a little extra jump, and it will be able to wear down the Panthers in the offensive zone. After grabbing the lead, the Canes will do what they do best and lock it down defensively for a 1-0 series lead. Prediction — Hurricanes 3, Panthers 1
Hurricanes vs. Panthers: Game 1 best bet
This figures to be a tight series with momentum swings in both directions, and this Game 1 could go either way. That’s why it’s better to lean on what we know about each of these rosters. Carolina forward Andrei Svechnikov hasn’t been afraid to pull the trigger this postseason, and that should continue in this series, especially when the Canes are on the power play. According to the experts at SportsLine, one of the best bets of the night is the over on Svechnikov’s shot total. The Pick: Andrei Svechnikov O2.5 shots
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