Carolina is coming off a 4-1 win over the Red Wings on Tuesday, snapping a three-game losing streak. The Hurricanes committed only two penalties in the game, holding Detroit without a power play goal. Four players found the net for the Hurricanes.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored and provided an assist to lead the team in scoring. Antti Raanta saved an impressive 20 of 21 shots (.952%) in the win. Florida fell 2-1 (OT) to the Maple Leafs on Monday. Brandon Montour was the only player to score for the Panthers. Alex Lyon had 23 saves in the loss.
HEAD TO HEAD
The teams have split their two meetings this season, the most recent of which was a 4-0 victory for the Hurricanes in December. Kotkaniemi (1G 1A), Brent Burns (0G 2A), and Seth Jarvis (0G 2A) each had two points to lead Carolina. Raanta saved 19 shots to earn the shutout win.
FACING OFF
Carolina is averaging 3.16 goals per game for the season, 17th in the NHL, and they are taking on a Panthers team that is allowing 3.28 goals a game (20th).
Meanwhile, Florida has found the net 3.51 times a game on average, fifth in the league, and will be looking to overwhelm the Hurricanes’ stout defense, which is holding opponents to 2.54 goals per game (2nd).
Both teams average more shots a game than most teams in the league. Florida’s 36.8 average ranks first, while Carolina ranks No. 3 with 34.8 attempts.
When it comes to shot-stopping, the Hurricanes have been more successful with a team save percentage of .907% (13th), while the Panthers have stopped .903% of shots as a team (16th).
Expect a few power play opportunities for the Hurricanes, as the Panthers have been penalized 4.69 times a game, second-most in the NHL, for an average of 12.07 minutes (third-highest). The visitors are averaging 3.53 penalties (12th-fewest in the league) and 7.51 penalty minutes a game (3rd-fewest).
The Panthers’ 22.63% power play percentage ranks 11th in the league, while the Hurricanes are 18th with a conversion rate of 20.08%. Carolina has been equally impressive at penalty killing, boasting the league’s second-highest PK% at 84.25%. Florida ranks 25th at 75.52%.
TOP PERFORMERS:
With 71 and 65 points this season, Martin Necas and Sebastian Aho have been the top skaters for the Hurricanes. In the net, Raanta (19-3-3) is Carolina’s top goaltender by goals against average. He has a 2.23 GAA, fourth-best in the league, and a .910% save percentage.
Frederik Andersen (20-11-1) leads the Hurricanes in games played in goal. He has a GAA of 2.43 and a save percentage of .904%. Matthew Tkachuk leads the Panthers in scoring with 108 points (5th in the league). He has 40 goals and 68 assists (6th). Sergei Bobrovsky (24-20-3) has the best goals against average for Florida at 3.07. He has a save percentage of .901%.
HOME AND AWAY
Carolina is seeking to snap a three-game losing run away from PNC Arena this season. Florida is 23-12-5 at home this season.
SportsTips’ NHL Pick:
Florida Panthers (-120)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
