The Hurricanes vs Panthers series is set to be one of the most exciting matchups in the NHL playoffs this year. The two teams have had a strong season, with the Hurricanes finishing first in the Central Division and the Panthers finishing fourth. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take a closer look at the odds, preview, schedule, and prediction for this series.
Odds
The odds for this series are currently in favor of the Hurricanes. According to BetMGM, the Hurricanes are -150 favorites to win the series, while the Panthers are +125 underdogs. This means that if you bet $150 on the Hurricanes to win, you would win $100 if they do, while a $100 bet on the Panthers would win you $125 if they pull off an upset.
Preview
The Hurricanes come into this series as one of the hottest teams in the league. They finished the regular season with a record of 36-12-8 and have won seven of their last 10 games. Led by their dynamic offense, which features Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, and Vincent Trocheck, the Hurricanes are a force to be reckoned with.
The Panthers, on the other hand, have had an up-and-down season. They finished with a record of 37-14-5 but have lost six of their last 10 games. However, they have some talented players on their roster, including Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau, and Carter Verhaeghe.
One key factor to watch in this series will be goaltending. The Hurricanes have one of the best goaltenders in the league in Alex Nedeljkovic, who has a save percentage of .932 this season. The Panthers will likely turn to Sergei Bobrovsky, who has struggled at times this season but has plenty of playoff experience.
Schedule
The schedule for this series is as follows:
Game 1: Sunday, May 16, 7:00 p.m. ET (at Carolina)
Game 2: Tuesday, May 18, 8:00 p.m. ET (at Carolina)
Game 3: Thursday, May 20, 6:30 p.m. ET (at Florida)
Game 4: Saturday, May 22, 12:00 p.m. ET (at Florida)
*Game 5: Monday, May 24, TBD (at Carolina)
*Game 6: Wednesday, May 26, TBD (at Florida)
*Game 7: Friday, May 28, TBD (at Carolina)
*if necessary
Prediction
This series has the potential to be a close one, but ultimately, we predict that the Hurricanes will come out on top. They have been one of the best teams in the league all season and have the firepower to outscore the Panthers. Additionally, their goaltending has been outstanding, which could be the difference-maker in a tight series.
That being said, the Panthers are a talented team and could certainly pull off an upset if they get hot at the right time. It should be an exciting series to watch for hockey fans everywhere.
