Stanley Cup Playoffs: Hurricanes vs Panthers Game 1 Odds, Analysis, & Picks

The Eastern Conference Finals will get underway on Tuesday, May 20, with Game 1 between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Florida Panthers. The puck drop is scheduled for 8 PM ET at PNC Arena in Raleigh. Carolina finds themselves in the conference finals for the second stime in three seasons against the same opponent after knocking out Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals in the second round. As for the Cats, they took down the Toronto Maple Leafs, thumping them 6-1 in Game 7 on Sunday. Read below for the Hurricanes vs Panthers Game 1 picks.

Odds provided by Sports Interaction.

Hurricanes vs Panthers Game 1 Odds

The Hurricanes are a -120 home favorite at NHL sportsbooks. The Panthers, who are rarely an underdog, have +100 odds for the series opener.

These two of course met at this stage in 2023 and it was all Florida. They swept Carolina in four games en route to the Stanley Cup title.

Hurricanes vs Panthers Analysis

The Hurricanes have looked great in these playoffs, eliminating the New Jersey Devils and then the Capitals in the conference semifinals. Carolina has only lost two games along the way, beating both teams 4-1 in each respective series. Rod Brind’Amour’s squad is scoring 3.40 goals per contest, but their biggest strength has been in between the posts. Frederik Andersen in 7-2 in the postseason with an impressive 1.36 GAA and .937 save percentage. The Denmark native is unstoppable in the crease, but he’ll be tested by the electrifying Panthers.

Leading the way offensively in the playoffs for the Hurricanes are Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho, who both have 10 points apiece. Andrei Svechnikov leads the team in goals, though, scoring eight so far. He’s been clutch. This series is a clear chance at redemption for Carolina, who will remember ‘23 when they failed to win a game against Florida in the East Finals.

By no surprise, the defending champs are still standing. Paul Maurice’s group took care of the Tampa Bay Lightning in Round One before overcoming a 2-0 hole against the Leafs to win the series 4-3. That included a pair of 6-1 victories in Games 5 and 7. The Panthers made Toronto look foolish at times and have scored 3.75 goals per contest in the playoffs.

The depth in this squad is incredible, and we’ve seen it on full display throughout the first two rounds. Nine different players have tallied at least seven points, with trade deadline acquisition Brad Marchand leading the way. He has 12. Eetu Luostarinen, Sam Reinhart, Anton Lundell, and Aleksander Barkov are all in double digits as well. The Panthers are arguably a stronger team than last season after adding Marchand and Seth Jones. But, they won’t be taking Carolina for granted, either.

Hurricanes vs Panthers Game 1 Picks

The Hurricanes have ample rest heading into Game 1, last playing on Thursday. The Cats, meanwhile, flew to Raleigh on Monday, less than 24 hours after eliminating the Maple Leafs. I’ll take Carolina in the series opener on home ice. They also haven’t lost at PNC Arena yet in the playoffs.

Pick: Hurricanes -120 /Sports Interaction