Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes is tonight at 8 p.m. ET at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. It will be broadcast on TNT and streamed on Max.
Ain't nothing like a rematch!
This rematch of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals takes place as the Carolina Hurricanes seek vengeance against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
Check out my Panthers vs. Hurricanes predictions and NHL picks for May 20, 2025.
Florida Panthers vs. Carolina Hurricanes Odds
| Panthers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -250 | 5.5 110o / -130u | +105 |
| Hurricanes Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +205 | 5.5 110o / -130u | -125 |
- Panthers vs. Hurricanes puck line: Panthers -1.5, Hurricanes +1.5
- Panthers vs. Hurricanes over/under: 5.5
- Panthers vs. Hurricanes moneyline: Panthers ML +105, Hurricanes ML -125
Florida Panthers Preview: On the Road to Glory
For Florida, getting here was surely a journey.
While the Panthers handled the Lightning with barely a scratch in the first round, the Toronto Maple Leafs gave them a run for their money. They lost the first two games. In Game 3, they fell into a 3-1 hole, and it didn’t look good. But before time ran out, they came back to win the game and the next three out of four matchups.
I’m curious about how these two will match up, especially since Carolina walked all over the Capitals. Can there be a repeat of round two?
The Cats are a team of true professionals, though, and they were a top-two 5-on-5 team in the second round. The one outlier, though, is the porous power play, where Florida converted on only 17% of its man advantages, where the Canes stopped 13 out of 15 tries on Washington’s power plays.
The key will be how many high-danger opportunities Florida will be able to generate. It managed to generate a high volume, given that its top players, Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett, play with their nose to the net.
What version will we get from Sergei Bobrovsky as well? The man they call “Bob” has had an up-and-down playoff after winning his first Stanley Cup last season. He’s playing to an inconsistent .901 SV% and a 1.8 GSAx.
Carolina Hurricanes Preview: Has the Time Finally Come?
Carolina is in familiar territory here, as it’ll be the Canes’ third Conference Finals appearance since 2019. The difference is they’ve lost the previous two, so can the third time be a charm?
If you had read my midseason review, you would’ve remembered the Hurricanes had the second-best odds to win the Stanley Cup this season, behind the Oilers.
While Carolina has forever been a powerhouse in the East, it’s been a struggle for the Canes to get over the hump. It seemed easy for them so far in these playoffs, though. They walked all over the Devils in the first round with a 4-1 series win and then made the East’s leader in points, Washington Capitals, look foolish with another 4-1 series win.
From top to bottom, this is an incredibly deep team, rolling out four consistent lines and a brick wall for a defense. It’s led by superstar forwards Seth Jarvis, Sebastian Aho, and Andrei Svechnikov. Svechnikov is second in goals all of the playoffs with eight, right behind former teammate Mikko Rantanen.
I’ll continue having doubts about Carolina’s goaltending, but Freddie Andersen has shown his value, and why the Canes extended him for one more year. He’s playing lights out, posting a ridiculous .937 SV% and a league-best 12.2 GSAx.
The big question will be whether he can stay healthy or not.
Panthers vs. Hurricanes Prediction, Pick
Whenever these teams face off in the playoffs, it’s as tight as can be.
In the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, the first game went into four (!) overtimes, the second went into one overtime, the third was a 1-0 game, and the fourth was a 4-3 game.
Florida won all four, but every game was decided by one goal, and all but the final game went under 5.5 goals.
Knowing how these two teams perform with high stakes, I expect another tight-knit battle and wonder if there will be a feeling-out process here.
Because of that, I’m predicting the first period will go under 1.5 goals.
Pick: First Period Under 1.5 (-120)
How to Watch Hurricanes vs. Panthers
- Location: Lenovo Center, Raleigh, North Carolina
- Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2025
- Puck Drop: 8:00 p.m. ET
- TV/Streaming: TNT
