Carolina Hurricanes vs Florida Panthers

Carolina finally got a conference final win on Monday, ending a 15-game cold spell in this round that dated back to 2006. It should give this team renewed confidence heading into Game 5 tonight, and with the way Florida has played, Carolina needs all the help it can get. Frederik Andersen stopped all 20 shots in Game 4 as the Hurricanes won 3-0. Now they're back on home ice where they have won 14 of their past 18 games. Andersen is 8-4 with a 1.84 goals-against average this postseason while sporting a .914 save percentage. The Hurricanes limited the Panthers to 12 shots through the first two periods in Game 4. In his career, Andersen is 12-4-3 with a 2.72 GAA and a .911 save percentage against the Panthers, who have lost 23 of 50 road games in 2024-25. I like Carolina to win this game or at least keep it close. Take the Hurricanes on the puck line.

Carolina has tried about everything to no avail in this series, but Florida could be better off with a gentleman's sweep. The Panthers remember 2023 when they swept the Hurricanes in the conference final and then had to wait 10 days to play Vegas in the Stanley Cup, which killed all their momentum. The Panthers subsequently lost to the Golden Knights in five games. Carolina does not want to go into the offseason getting swept for the fourth time in a row in the East finals dating to 2009. Both teams have nearly identical records this season, and Carolina will give its best shot in Game 4. Take the Hurricanes.

Carolina is desperate after losing the first two games at home while totaling only two goals. The Hurricanes will hope Florida suffers a letdown after going up 2-0 on the road, and they need to come out focused after allowing three goals in the first period on Thursday. Frederik Andersen will likely be back in the net for Game 3, but Pyotr Kotchetkov stopped four of five shots in relief in Game 2 and possibly could see some action if needed for the Hurricanes. Carolina has gone UNDER five of seven overall and four of five on the road. Five of the past seven meetings have gone UNDER. Florida has stayed UNDER four straight against teams that allowed at least five goals in their previous game. Take the Hurricanes and the UNDER.

Defending champion Florida knocked off Toronto in Game 7 on the road, 6-1. They won the series despite losing the first two games. The offense is fourth in the postseason, averaging 3.75 goals, while the defense is second in penalty killing and in goals given up (2.42 per game). They're in the Eastern Conference Finals for the third straight year. Last season, they won Game 1 at New York, 3-0, and Game 5 on the road, 3-2, taking the series in six games. They also swept the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, winning the first two games at Carolina, 3-2 and 2-1. Carolina's offense ranks 11th of the 16 playoff teams in shooting percentage, after ranking 22nd during the regular season. Carolina was 1-2-0 against Florida, getting outscored 13-6, during the regular season. Play Florida.