Two of the league’s highest volume shooting teams are set to meet at PNC Arena on Friday, as the Florida Panthers (+155) travel to face the Carolina Hurricanes (-185).
The total is 6.5 (O: -105, U: -115)Florida (16-16-4) is playing on back-to-back days after earning a high-scoring 7-2 win over the Canadiens yesterday, snapping a three-game losing streak.
The Panthers committed seven penalties in the game, conceding two power play goals. Aleksander Barkov was the top goalscorer for the Panthers with a hat trick.
Sergei Bobrovsky had a great performance with 25 saves (.925%) in the win. Carolina (23-6-6) won for the ninth straight game, beating the Blackhawks 3-0 on Tuesday. Jordan Martinook, Jesper Fast, and Martin Necas each scored once for the Hurricanes. Antti Raanta recorded his first shutout of the season with 24 saves.
HEAD TO HEAD
The Panthers won the first meeting between the teams this season, a 3-0 victory in November, their fifth straight win against Carolina. Brandon Montour led Florida with three points (0G 3A). Spencer Knight saved 40 shots to earn the shutout win.
FACING OFF
Florida is averaging 3.33 goals per game for the season, ninth in the NHL, and they are taking on a Hurricanes team that is allowing only 2.57 goals a game (3rd). Meanwhile, Carolina has found the net 3.06 times a game on average, 20th in the league, and the Panthers are allowing opponents to score 3.36 goals per game (20th).
Both teams average more shots per game than most teams in the league. Florida ranks No. 1 with 36.4 shots, while Carolina’s 34.9 average ranks fourth. When it comes to stopping shots, the Hurricanes have been more successful, stopping .908% of shots as a team (16th), while the Panthers have a team save percentage of .902% (18th).
Expect a few power play opportunities for the Hurricanes, as the Panthers are averaging 4.94 penalties per game, third-most in the NHL. The visitors’ 12.47 penalty minutes a game ranks fourth-highest. The home team has been penalized 3.77 times a game (13th-fewest in the league) for an average of 7.71 minutes (4th-fewest).
The Panthers’ 19.23% power play percentage ranks 24th in the league, while the Hurricanes are 27th with a conversion rate of 17.50%. When it comes to defending power plays, Carolina has the league’s 12th-ranked PK% at 80.67%, while Florida is 20th at 76.64%.
TOP PERFORMERS:
With 43 points this season, Matthew Tkachuk is the top skater for the Panthers. He has 17 goals and 26 assists in 33 games. In the net, Knight (8-5-3) is Florida’s top goaltender by goals against average. He has a 2.93 GAA and a .909% save percentage.
Bobrovsky (7-11-1) leads the Panthers in games played in goal. He has a GAA of 3.29 and a save percentage of .895%. Necas and Andrei Svechnikov lead the Hurricanes in scoring with 34 and 31 points, respectively. Necas has 15 goals and 19 assists, while Svechnikov has 18 goals and 13 assists in 35 games.
Pyotr Kochetkov (10-1-4) has the best goals against average for Carolina at 1.94, second-best in the league. He has a save percentage of .928%, also second-best.
HOME AND AWAY
Florida is 7-11-1 on the road this season. Carolina is seeking an eighth consecutive win at PNC Arena this season. Meanwhile, the Panthers are 1-3 without a day off and 0-2 playing with a rest disadvantage. The Hurricanes are 1-1 with a rest advantage.
SportsTips’ NHL Pick:
Carolina Hurricanes (-175)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
