Panthers vs. Hurricanes Predictions For Tonight's Eastern Conference Finals Game 2, 5/22

The first game in this series wasn't even close to being a good game as the Panthers brought down the house with a 5-2 victory! Can they continue their dominance in Game 2 and take a commanding 2-0 series lead? That may be the result but I am not counting out the Hurricanes at home ever and I know they'll bring the fight in this game. 

 

Florida Panthers: The Hunt for Back to Back Cups

The Panthers are now just 7 wins away from being the first NHL team to win back to back Stanley Cups since the Penguins did it in 2016/2017 and look like they are prime to pull it off! They have been the 2nd best team in terms of goals allowed per game at just 2.39 and their offense is posting 3.85 goals per game. 

They have been lead in the scoring department on offense by Eetu Luostarianen with 13 points and that is really a credit to their depth throughout the lineup. On the defensive end goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is 9-4 these payoffs with a 2.29 GAA and .905 SV% meaning he has been good when called upon but hasn't faced much of a large shot volume to date. 

The Panthers come into Game 2 as underdogs once again on the road at +110
 

 

 

Carolina Hurricanes: Trying to Break Through to the Other Side

Its been a cycle of frustration for the Hurricanes when it comes to the postseason over the last 7 seasons as they've made the playoffs every season but have yet to make it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals despite having some teams capable of reaching the top. They were dealt a reminder in these shortcomings in Game 1 with a huge loss and a dominating one at that at the hands of the Panthers. 

The Hurricanes play the best team game of any team left in the tournament and that's a huge credit to Rod Brind'amor and his system. They smother teams defensively and they wear them out to create chances for themselves on the offensive end. This has led to them allowing just 1.8 goals per game these playoffs, the best mark out of the 16 teams that made the postseason. 

The Hurricanes are lead in scoring by Seth Jarvis who has 12 points these playoffs and he also plays on the top line and powerplay unit that has been excellent this postseason. On defense Frederik Andersen has been a brick wall in net with a 1.74 GAA and .919 SV% but in Game 1 he gave up 5 goals on just 20 shots. 

Carolina comes into Game 2 as the favorite at -130 on most books and will look to improve on their home record this postseason which already stands at 5-1. 
 

 

 

Panthers vs. Hurricanes Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines, Game 2

 

 

Panthers vs. Hurricanes Game 2 Best Bet: Hurricanes Money Line (-130 on DraftKings)

Game 1 results are often tough to track as the teams are formulating a game plan in real time but now that the Hurricanes have seen what the Panthers have to offer I think they buckle down today. They have been one of the best home teams in the playoffs for multiple years and they know going down in the series 2-0 heading to Florida would be a death sentence. 

I expect a close game so the Puck Line is out of the equation but despite the losing effort in Game 1 from the Hurricanes I still saw a lot of good things. Their xGoals % is one of the highest in the playoffs and I think they regress in a positive fashion tonight and get a much needed win to even the series.  

 

Â