The Carolina Hurricanes aim to equal the series against the Florida Panthers during Game 2 of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs Eastern Conference Final on Thursday. Following their defeat in Game 1, where they lost 5-2, the Hurricanes will host the Panthers at PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC, with the first puck drop slated for 8 p.m. ET.
Carolina is currently favored at -134 on the money line (risk $134 to win $100), while Florida stands as a +112 underdog (risk $100 to win $112). The betting total for goals scored is set at 5.5, and the Hurricanes are -1.5 (+186) on the puck line. For any updates on the Panthers vs. Hurricanes picks, check out the NHL predictions from SportsLine’s expert model, which has simulated this matchup methods countless times.
Best Bets for Game 2:
- Panthers +1.5 puck line (-235)
- Over 5.5 goals (+105)
The Panthers have successfully covered the puck line in five of the last six playoff contests. Moreover, the initial game this playoff season marked the third consecutive match in which Florida outperformed the Hurricanes. The predictions suggest that Florida is likely to exceed the puck line in over 70% of the simulations.
Over 5.5 goals (+105)
The betting line for over 5.5 goals has been reached in two of Carolina’s last three outings and for Florida in three of the Panthers’ previous four games. Despite Frederik Andersen’s impressive 1.74 goals-against average across his ten playoff starts, he allowed five goals on twenty attempts in Game 1. Meanwhile, the Panthers have an impressive scoring record, outpacing their opponents 11-3 over their preceding pair of games.
For further insights on NHL picks for Thursday, Matt Severance is noted as SportsLine’s top NHL specialist, having a record of 145-69-8 on NHL sides picks, yielding returns of more than $4,000 for holders of $100.
