The Eastern Conference Final is in full swing, and the New York Rangers need a home-ice win over the Florida Panthers tonight to even the series before the two teams head south.
Game 1 was far closer than the final 3-0 score would suggest, and our top NHL picks and Panthers vs. Rangers predictions are calling for another tight, low-scoring battle in Game 2 on Friday, May 25.
Panthers vs Rangers prediction
My best bet
Under 5.5 (-123 at Pinnacle)
My analysis
The series opener between the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers played out largely as expected. It was a low-event, low-scoring affair, and neither team impressed offensively. The Rangers finished with 10 high-danger scoring chances and generated 51.3% of the expected goals, while the Panthers drove five-on-five possession with a 53.9 Corsi For percentage.
Panthers No. 1 Sergei Bobrovsky was perfect, and the Rangers didn’t cash in with the timely scoring that’s been their bread and butter all season. Additionally, there weren’t prolonged stretches of lopsided play, and Rangers starter Igor Shesterkin posted a .926 save percentage with two tough-luck goals against. Add the empty-net tally for Florida, and the 3-0 score wasn’t truly indicative of the on-ice play.
I’m expecting more of the same from both teams in Game 2, and especially two more solid performances from Bobrovsky and Shesterkin. They combined for a .960 SV% in the opener, and Bobrovsky is dialed in, with a .929 mark across his past eight starts. Shesterkin remains at .923 for the playoffs.
Of course, both the Panthers and Rangers playing sound defensively goes hand-in-hand with the strong goaltending. The two teams combined for just 11 high-danger shots in Game 1, and New York held Florida to an average shot distance of 35.7 feet. As I noted ahead of Wednesday’s game, the Panthers prioritize shot volume over shot quality, so I don’t value their high-end 5-on-5 possession numbers as much. It’s obviously more difficult to score from a greater distance, too.
Finally, there have been five goals or fewer in each of Florida’s past four games, and they’ve allowed two goals or fewer in all four.
Panthers vs Rangers same-game parlay (SGP)
Rangers moneyline
Under 5.5
Sam Reinhart 3+ shots
I’m expecting this to be a back-and-forth series, and the puck luck flipping in New York’s favor in Game 2. As noted, the Blueshirts generated more expected goals, and they were also blanked on the man advantage twice after clicking at a 31.4% clip through the first two rounds of the playoffs. Additionally, Bobrovsky isn’t going to be perfect all series, and the Panthers didn’t completely dominate the 5-on-5 possession in the opener.
Turning to Sam Reinhart, he's logging huge minutes (21:12) and paces the Cats in shots (52) during the postseason. The go-to winger has also registered three or more shots in 11 of 12 playoff games, and he posted a sterling 61.9 CF% at 5-on-5 in Game 1.
This is another same-game parlay with an odds gap between shops, too. The +450 bet365 odds offer a positive expected value of 11% compared to the shorter +396 FanDuel price.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
Panthers vs Rangers odds
Panthers vs Rangers live odds
Panthers vs Rangers opening odds
- Puck line: New York +1.5 (-280) | Florida-1.5 (+225)
- Moneyline: New York -108 | Florida -111
- Over/Under: Over 5.5 (+100) | Under 5.5 (-122)
Panthers vs Rangers moneyline and Over/Under analysis
- There has been two-way action on the moneyline ahead of Game 2. An early move to the Florida side at Pinnacle was followed with buyback on New York.
- Still, both adjustments were minor, and I don’t anticipate a huge move to the numbers with both teams healthy and without lineup question marks.
- The Under is taking action, with Pinnacle opening at -119 for Under 5.5 goals.
- Florida thrives in low-scoring games, and as discussed, both goaltenders are in top form.
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Panthers vs Rangers trend
There have been five goals or fewer in each of Florida’s past four games. Find more NHL betting trends for Panthers vs. Rangers.
Panthers vs Rangers game info
| Location: | Madison Square Garden, New York, NY |
| Date: | Friday, 5-24-2024 |
| Puck drop: | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | ESPN |
Panthers vs Rangers latest injuries
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