Panthers vs. Hurricanes Odds
| Panthers Odds | +115 |
| Hurricanes Odds | -135 |
| Over/Under | 6.5 |
| Time | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | TNT |
| Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
TNT is serving up a tasty treat in the first game of its Wednesday doubleheader this week, as two of the NHL's Eastern Conference powerhouses go head to head.
Here's the latest on the Florida Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes, and how to bet this game.
Panthers Begin Road Trip
The Panthers will be hitting the ice for the first time since the All-Star break, kicking off a three-game road trip that will also include visits to Minnesota and Chicago after 14 days off.
Despite its lengthy layoff, Florida still sat first in the Eastern Conference standings heading into Tuesday night's games.
The Panthers' high-scoring approach to the game is now well known. It has led to good success this season, and has been their calling card against Carolina.
In two earlier meetings this season, Florida earned a 5-2 home win in December and a 4-3 overtime victory in Raleigh in early January.
Possession-wise, the Panthers remain one of the top teams in the league, ranking third overall with an expected goals rate of 54.95%. Their special teams are less dominant than you might expect — middle of the pack on both the power play and the penalty kill.
Coming out of this break, expect Sergei Bobrovsky to return to the net rested and rejuvenated. The downtime probably served him well.
With 32 games played, he has already surpassed his total from last season (31), and his performance took a bit of a dip in late January, when he uncharacteristically gave up a total of 15 goals in his last four starts.
Rookie stopper Spencer Knight was assigned to AHL Charlotte so he could get some game action during the break. He's expected to remain with the Checkers for awhile longer, so Jonas Johansson will serve as Bobrovsky's backup on this road trip.
The Panthers should be as healthy as they've been all season when they set their roster in Raleigh on Wednesday. Patric Hornqvist, Noel Acciari, Olli Juolevi and Maxim Mamin are all expected to return from injury absences.
Canes Looking to Shake Unexpected Dip in Play
The Hurricanes got right back to work after the All-Star break. They played four road games in six nights, bookending a 6-0 thumping of the Boston Bruins with one-goal losses in Ottawa and Minnesota and an overtime loss in Toronto.
It was an uncharacteristic dip for the club, which had won seven of eight games heading into the break.
Even with the 6-0 win included, the Hurricanes' 5-on-5 possession numbers during those four games were middle of the pack at 50.98%. That's noteworthy when they have a much better 53.66% share for the full season.
The situation is similar for goaltender Frederik Andersen. He now tops the league with 25 goals saved above expected, but was a rather inconsistent 1-1-1 last week.
Now back home for a pair of games, the Hurricanes are an impressive 16-4-1 this season at PNC Centre — although that overtime loss came against Florida. And while they're not as well rested as the Panthers, they've also had some recent game reps that could help give them an edge over a rusty Florida group.
Panthers vs. Hurricanes Pick
Carolina is in a bit of a rut, and Florida is coming off of a long layoff. But don't expect either side to be tentative or lackluster on Wednesday in a matchup where both teams would very much like to assert their dominance.
And don't expect the Panthers to need much time finding their mojo, either. It has only been seven weeks since they got back to work after a 13-day layoff over the Christmas holidays. They came out of that break with a 4-3 win over the New York Rangers, kicking off a nine-game stretch where they went 8-0-1.
The Panthers are on a mission this season. Expect them to put on a show on Wednesday and skate out of Raleigh with two points. As road underdogs, there's terrific value on this play.
Pick: Florida Panthers moneyline (+115); play down to even money
