NHL Best Bets for May 20: Can Carolina Hold The Forth Yet Again?

Four Days of Grace

Tonight kick starts the series between the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Carolina Hurricanes have had a much better rest prior to this game having wrapped up their series against Washington in five games.

The Florida Panthers have had a gruelling seven-game series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, eventually winning Game 7 with ease by a score of 6-1. The Hurricanes had an extra four-day rest over their Florida opponents prior to this game and have played two fewer games than the Panthers throughout this season’s playoffs.

It’s been a breeze thus far for the Hurricanes, beating both the New Jersey Devils and Washington Capitals in five games with a +16 goal difference. Despite this, the Florida Panthers have had success of their own, as they have scored the most postseason goals thus far.

Defensive Units

Both the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers like to play a strong defensive game by suffocating the opponents’ forwards and catching the opposition on the counterattack. The Panthers are playing the sort of hockey that they played last season when they lifted the Stanley Cup, a brutal forecheck with some scary defense and goaltending.

Furthermore, the Panthers’ offense has kicked into gear throughout this season’s playoffs and is currently the highest-scoring team left in the playoffs. They like to grind out games and force teams to play their style of hockey, which is an in-your-face style of hockey mixed with strong forwards, and it works incredibly well for them.

Carolina Faces Its Toughest Test

The Carolina Hurricanes have been dominant on home ice in recent weeks, having gone 13-2 in their previous 15 home matchups. While playing on the road, the Panthers have gone 6-9 across their previous 15 games.

Carolina has only allowed 1.8 goals per game throughout the playoffs, and yes, it does help that they had two relatively easy first rounds. They still can’t ignore the stats, but the Panthers are next-level opposition, so it’s time to see what the Hurricanes are really made of.

Florida vs. Carolina Trends & Facts

• Carolina is 5-0 in its last 5 games at home.
• The total has gone Under in 6 of Carolina’s last 7 games when playing at home against Florida.
• Florida is 12-5 in its last 17 games against Carolina.
• The total has gone Over in 8 of Florida’s last 10 games.

The Pick

Although we believe the Panthers might come out on top in this series, we are looking to take the home favorites. At -120 NHL betting odds, we like their chances of picking up a win in Game 1, but we wouldn’t advise laying any less than -125 or -130 at a push.

The Hurricanes have had a much longer rest than the Panthers and don’t even have to travel, while the Panthers were out on their feet with half the rest and had to travel as well. Momentum might be with the Panthers, but the Hurricanes can’t be ignored on home ice.

Carolina did a very respectable job shutting down Alex Ovechkin in the previous round, and at times, their defense looked impenetrable. They are the favorites for a reason, and it would take a monumental effort for the Panthers to pull this one off, but never say never; they are the reigning champions after all.

NHL Pick: Carolina Hurricanes ML (-120) at BetOnline

Carolina Hurricanes ML (-120)

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*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.