The Panthers have only lost consecutive games once this postseason and tonight won't mark the second. Evan Rodrigues will factor in after tallying six points in the first three games vs. the Hurricanes.
NHL
The Florida Panthers get another crack at advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals in Game 5 vs. the Carolina Hurricanes at the Lenovo Center tonight.
My Panthers vs Hurricanes predictions expect a big bounce-back performance from Florida, and I believe Evan Rodrigues helps deliver the win for the visitors.
Find out why with my free NHL picks ahead of the 8 p.m. puck drop on Wednesday, May 28.
The Florida Panthers are favored to win and eliminate the Carolina Hurricanes in five games. I’m backing the books on this one and laying the -125 on Florida.
The Panthers failed to close it out with a 3-0 loss Monday night, but they’ve been the better team overall in this series, and I expect the Cats to bounce back in a big way.
Florida has lost back-to-back games only once this postseason, and I don’t anticipate that trend changing tonight.
Additionally, Florida has been dominant on the road this postseason, boasting a 7-2 record while outscoring opponents 43-17 through nine away games, including a lopsided 10-2 score differential in the first two games of this series at the Lenovo Center.
I’m expecting the Cats to win and claim their third straight Eastern Conference title tonight.
My Panthers vs Hurricanes pick: Evan Rodrigues Over 0.5 points (+110 at Sports Interaction)
Carolina gave their best effort of the series on Monday, outshooting the Cats 21-15 at 5-on-5 with a 79% expected goals percentage, limiting Florida to just two high-danger chances.
This was reminiscent of how Florida failed to clinch the series against Toronto with the Buds up against the ropes before turning in a spectacular Game 6 performance. However, the Cats erupted in Game 7 for six goals, taking control of the game from start to finish.
I expect Florida to get back to its game, where it outshot and outchanced Carolina through the first three games of the series.
One player who was productive in the first three games, but was silent Monday night, was Evan Rodrigues.
Quietly, the forward leads the Panthers with six points in the series, recording two points in each of the first three games.
He’s paying +110 to go Over 0.5 points tonight, and I expect him to find the scoresheet again this evening.
Rodrigues is currently playing on the top line alongside Aleksander Barkov and Jesper Boqvist. However, Sam Reinhart is expected to return tonight in Boqvist’s place after skating ahead of Game 5.
That trio has been extremely productive in these playoffs, averaging 4.64 goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, ranking fourth among all trios with 50+ minutes played together. It also matches their 73% expected goals when playing alongside one another.
Moreover, Rodrigues presents a unique value considering his linemate, Barkov, is -200 to record a point. I’d much prefer to get plus-money on Rodrigues, who plays on the same line and has a chance to get top PP time if Reinhart is on a minutes limit or out of the game entirely.
Evan Rodrigues 1+ shots on goal
Sam Bennett 2+ shots on goal
Panthers moneyline
For the first leg of our SGP, we’ll mirror our best bet by Evan Rodrigues to record 1+ shots. He’s hit the net in 11 of 13 games this postseason and has six shots in the first four games against Carolina.
I’ll continue with the shot props and take Sam Bennett to record 2+. He’s had two or more in seven of his last eight outings and has been one of Florida’s most dangerous players.
For the final leg, I’ll take the Panthers on the moneyline. They’ve been the better team this series and only lost back-to-back games once this postseason. I expect a big bounce-back performance from them tonight to send them through to the Stanley Cup Final.
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Odds courtesy of Sports Interaction
The Panthers are 6-4 on the moneyline in the last 10 meetings between these two teams. Find more NHL betting trends for Panthers vs. Hurricanes.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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Mike DiStefano joins Covers after a successful five-year stint with TSN. Distefano hosted Leafs Lunch, a Toronto Maple Leafs-centric radio show which featured a daily best bets segment where he found the biggest and best value plays of the night. He was also a weekly staple on TSN’s flagship radio/tv show “OverDrive” as a betting analyst during their NFL picks segment #TeamAl-DogForever.
A graduate of Centennial College’s Sports Journalism program, Mike has also contributed to the Canadian Baseball Network, FanSided, and The Hockey News.
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