The Eastern Conference Final is finally here with the Carolina Hurricanes hosting the Florida Panthers on Thursday. Sportsbook Review betting analyst Neil Parker has checked in on the markets and shares his top pick based on the latest NHL odds from our best live betting sites.
Carolina has stormed through the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and won five of six home games at PNC Arena.
My spidey-senses are telling me Florida just isn't all that intimidated.
After all, the Panthers have roared off consecutive upsets and are entering their third straight series against the favorite to win it all by the Stanley Cup odds.
Here is our best Panthers vs. Hurricanes pick for Thursday (odds via our best NHL betting sites; pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Panthers vs. Hurricanes pick
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Burns paces the 'Canes in shots, attempts and ice time, and I view this as the most favorable postseason matchup for his shot volume yet.
Florida has allowed the second-most shots (33.69) and attempts (63.17) per 60 minutes during the postseason, and Carolina ranks first in shots and attempts per 60 among remaining teams.
Additionally, Burns has been more aggressive on home ice with 11.39 shots and 24.47 attempts per 60 compared to respective 6.95 and 18.36 marks on the road.
Panthers vs. Hurricanes best odds
| DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM | Caesars | PointsBet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burns Over 3.5 shots | Burns Over 3.5 shots | Burns Over 3.5 shots | Burns Over 3.5 shots | Burns Over 3.5 shots |
| -105 | -102 ?? | -105 | N/A | -115 ?? |
The odds are tight across three of our four best sports betting apps. You'll just want to avoid the -115 price through PointsBet. The difference in -102 and -115 is a positive expected value of 6% and an extra $2.22 of profit on a winning $20 ticket.
I also value that Pinnacle has Burns priced at -103 to go Over 3.5 shots in Game 1 on Thursday.
Panthers vs. Hurricanes odds
Panthers vs. Hurricanes odds analysis
The top price for the Carolina moneyline is -140 through Caesars and PointsBet, while DraftKings is offering the longest odds for Florida at +145. PointsBet has the best price for the Hurricanes on the puck line at +185. DraftKings and FanDuel have the shortest vig (-210) for the Panthers side.
BetMGM is on an island with a total of 6 (+10 0/-120), while the rest of our best sportsbooks have it at 5.5. FanDuel has the total priced -128/+104, while DraftKings, Caesars, and PointsBet have the Over at -125 with the Under at +105.
Panthers vs. Hurricanes game info
- Date: Thursday, May 17, 8 p.m. ET
- TV: TNT, Sportsnet
- Location: PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC
Panthers vs. Hurricanes pick made 5/17/2023 at 2:15 p.m. ET.
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- FanDuel: $1,000 No Sweat First Bet | Read our FanDuel Review
- Caesars: Earn Up to a $1,250 Bet Credit | Read our Caesars Review
- DraftKings: Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets | Read our DraftKings Review
- PointsBet: Earn Five Second-Chance Bets Up to $50 Each | Read our PointsBet Review
- BetMGM: Get a Bonus Bet of Up to $1,000 | Read our BetMGM Review
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