Florida Panthers @ Carolina Hurricanes - May 20, 2025

As the Florida Panthers prepare to face off against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center, this matchup promises to be an intriguing battle between two teams with strong recent performances. The oddsmakers have set the Hurricanes as -125 moneyline favorites, but I believe the Panthers will emerge victorious in this contest.

Starting with recent form, both teams are riding high on confidence. The Panthers come into this game having won four of their last five games, including a dominant 6-1 victory over the Maple Leafs. Their offensive output has been impressive lately; they’ve gone OVER in eight of their last ten games, showcasing their ability to score. With an average of 3.065 goals per game and a solid power play percentage of 23.5%, Florida is capable of putting up numbers that can challenge any defense.

On the other side, we have the Hurricanes who are enjoying a three-game winning streak and boast a record of 6-1 in their last seven games. They have averaged about 3.261 goals per game with a respectable shooting percentage of 10.3%. However, despite these numbers, Carolina’s recent trend indicates that they’ve gone UNDER in four out of their last five games—something to keep in mind when considering total points for this matchup.

Defensively, both teams present solid stats but differ slightly in performance metrics. The Panthers lead with an impressive save percentage of 89.6% compared to Carolina’s 88.7%. This slight edge could prove crucial if it comes down to tight scoring chances late in the game.

When examining special teams, Florida holds an advantage on the power play with nearly 0.7 power play goals per game and a conversion rate above 23%. In contrast, Carolina’s power play sits at only about 18.7%, which could hinder them if they find themselves needing those extra goals during critical moments.

In terms of betting trends, Florida is currently covering the spread well on the road (5-2 ATS) while also being underdogs against Carolina historically (2-4 ATS). Given these dynamics and my prediction that Florida will win outright as underdogs tonight means they will cover that spread too.

Considering all factors—offensive capabilities, defensive strengths, and special teams performance—I expect a closely contested match where each team fights hard for every goal scored but ultimately lean towards Florida taking control late in the game due to their current momentum and superior special teams efficiency.

For total points predictions: given both teams’ tendencies recently—Florida’s propensity for higher-scoring affairs and Carolina’s shift towards lower totals—it seems likely we’ll see fewer than six combined goals tonight as both defenses tighten up after early exchanges.

In summary:
**Prediction:** Florida Panthers win
**Spread:** Panthers cover
**Over/Under:** Expected UNDER