Florida Panthers vs. Carolina Hurricanes Game 1 Best Bets

The Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes are set to kick off the Eastern Conference Final for Game 1 tonight from PNC Arena.

All odds courtesy of the FanDuel Sportsbook.

The Panthers and Hurricanes had very different routes to ending up in the Eastern Conference Final. Florida snuck into the playoffs on Game 82, while the Hurricanes came out on top in the Metropolitan division. It’s interesting because last year, the Panthers won the Presidents’ Trophy and were swept in the second round of the playoffs by the Tampa Bay Lightning. This time around, they were the eighth seed in the East and found themselves playing for a chance to reach the Stanley Cup Final. On the other hand, the Hurricanes are dealing with some critical injuries up front, but that hasn’t ultimately changed the effectiveness they’ve had as a group. 

The Hurricanes are favorites for Game 1 tonight on the moneyline at -146, while the Panthers are priced at +122. 

Looking toward the projected goalie matchup for tonight’s Game 1, the Panthers are expected to continue riding Sergei Bobrovsky in goal, while the Hurricanes should do the same with Frederik Andersen. The Panthers starting netminder has posted a 7-2 record, paired with a .918 save percentage, while Andersen is sitting at 5-0, along with a .931 save percentage. It’s hard to give a significant edge one way or another with how well both these goaltenders have done to this point in the postseason. 

Carolina and Florida are both teams with a relentless forecheck, and it will be interesting to see how these respective defensive cores respond to the pressure. With Carolina at home tonight, we expect them to have a fast start and set the tone in this matchup. As a result, we like their moneyline price of -146 to target. 

Best Bet: Hurricanes moneyline (-146) 

During the regular season, the Panthers and Hurricanes met three times, which saw them tally three, four, and ten total goals in those matchups. The total for Game 1 is 5.5, with the over priced at -128, while the under is at +104. You can certainly make a case that these teams can create offense against one another. Still, the Panthers have been better to this point in the playoffs defensively and in goal than we initially expected, and we know how elite Carolina is in those categories. As a result, with these teams feeling each other out in Game 1, we like the under 5.5 at the plus-money value price of +104. 

Best Bet: Under 5.5 (+104) 

The Carolina Hurricanes have the type of offense that scores by committee, meaning you’re not going to find a lot of players that warrant targeting on any given slate. One player that’s done a sound job contributing on both ends of the ice is Sebastian Aho, who’s relied upon to score and shut down key matchups. Aho has recorded 10 points over 11 playoff games for the Canes and has the dynamic presence to make a difference offensively. Aho’s listed at +155 to find the back of the net, and backing that number has a lot of value. 

Best Prop: Sebastian Aho to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+155)