Panthers set to clinch the Eastern Conference at first time of asking

Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final between the Florida Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes is set for Monday night in Sunrise, Florida, with the Panthers holding a commanding 3-0 series lead. Below, we look ahead to the match and name our NHL betting picks in our match preview.

  • What: NHL Eastern Conference Play-Offs Finals
  • Who: Florida Panthers vs Carolina Hurricanes (3-0)
  • Where: Amerant Arena, Sunrise, Florida
  • When: Monday, May 26th, 2025
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET

Florida’s dominant performance in Game 3, highlighted by a five-goal third period, has pushed Carolina to the brink of elimination.

Aleksander Barkov led the charge with two goals and an assist, while Niko Mikkola also netted two goals before leaving the game due to injury.

Jesper Boqvist, stepping in for the injured Sam Reinhart, contributed a goal and two assists, and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 23 saves to secure the 6-2 victory.

It’s been one-way traffic so far in this series, and unless the Hurricanes can turn things around quickly, their postseason adventure will be coming to an abrupt end on Monday night.

Florida Panthers vs Carolina Hurricanes Betting

Such has been their dominance so far in the series, the Florida Panthers are now just -3500 to win the series in the latest NHL Playoffs Odds. The current Stanley Cup holders are -115 to retain the trophy, with the Oilers next at +190 and the Stars at +390.

The Hurricanes are +1500 to win the remaining four matches and take the Eastern Conference. Rod Brind’Amour’s team is +4000 to win the Stanley Cup – at the moment that looks like a very unlikely scenario.

With a 3-0 series lead, it will come as little surprise to see that the best NHL online betting sites are favoring a win for the Panthers. Florida is -175 on the money line, with the Hurricanes at +145 to get the win that keeps the series alive.

Carolina is also receiving the +1.5-point start on the puck line. To win with the advantage, the Hurricanes are -180. Meanwhile, the Panthers are +150 to win by the two – or more – points required to win and cover.

The total points spread is set at 5.5 goals for this clash. The favorite is under 5.5, at -120, with over at +100.

There have been 18 goals in the series so far, which – at first – makes these odds look wrong. But the reason behind this is that the Panthers have scored 16 of the 18 goals, and with only one team scoring, under is going to be the most likely outcome more often than not.

Panthers vs. HurricanesBetUS Sportsbook ReviewBetOnline Sportsbook ReviewBovada Sportsbook Review
Panthers-175-175-175
Hurricanes+145+145+145
Panthers (-1.5)+150+150+150
Hurricanes (+1.5)-180-180-180
Over 5.5+100+100+100
Under 5.5-120-120-120

Florida Panthers vs Carolina Hurricanes: The story so far

Florida opened its Cup defense by steam-rolling Tampa Bay 4-1 in the first round. Sergei Bobrovsky posted a 19-save shut-out in Game 2, and the Panthers closed the series with a 6-3 road win in Game 5.

The Panthers finished the set with a 19-12 goal differential and never once surrendered a series lead.

Round 2 was far trickier: Toronto snatched the first two games, only for Brad Marchand’s overtime winner in Game 3 and a Bobrovsky 23-save shut-out in Game 4 to flip the momentum.

Florida had the upper hand on the Leafs over the next three contests, and a clinical 6-1 victory in Game 7 at Scotiabank Arena punched their ticket to the conference final.

The Carolina Hurricanes began their 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs campaign with a strong showing against the New Jersey Devils, securing a 4-1 series victory.

Despite a double-overtime loss in Game 3, the Hurricanes demonstrated resilience, notably in Game 5 where they overcame a 3-0 deficit to win 5-4 in double overtime, with Sebastian Aho netting the series-clinching goal.

Advancing to the second round, Carolina faced the Washington Capitals. The Hurricanes continued their momentum, defeating the Capitals in five games.

Key performances from Aho and Andrei Svechnikov, combined with solid goaltending from Frederik Andersen, propelled them to the Eastern Conference Final.

Florida Panthers vs Carolina Hurricanes Betting Picks and Predictions

The conference final has so far been a mauling for the Hurricanes. Florida has dominated, winning the first three games with a combined score of 16-4.

Carolina has struggled defensively and offensively. They have faced challenges in containing Florida’s aggressive play and overcoming their own turnovers.

The Hurricanes will need to address their shortcomings if they are to avoid a series sweep.

We are struggling to see them do. We can only see the Panthers winning Game 4 and clinching the series with three matches remaining.

So far in this series, the Panthers have won 5-2, 5-0, and 6-2. They have comfortably covered the spread on the puck line in all three matches.

With Florida at -175 on the money line, a wager on the Panthers to win and cover at +150 looks far more sensible. Our first betting pick is for Florida to win and cover.

Panthers (-1.5)To cover against the Hurricanes
★★★★★
+150
Bet now

The total points spread of 5.5 has been covered in two of the three matches to date. But with only one team scoring goals, we are going for under 5.5 for our second pick.

Under 5.5Panthers vs. Hurricanes
★★★★★
-120
Bet now

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Dean Etheridge

Dean is a general all-around sports enthusiast, but primarily he is a fan of English football and cricket. An experienced writer, Dean has been practicing his trade for over 15 years, first writing for his own publications, and latterly MyTopSportsbooks, and various other sports betting websites. Dean has extended his writing skills in recent years an...

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