The Florida Panthers have had an excellent start in the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes, outscoring them 10-2 and winning the first two games of the series.
In Game 2, the Panthers’ defense was solid, and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stopped all 17 shots he faced during the match. Florida secured an early tally with goals from Gustav Forsling, Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett, leading them to victory despite the Hurricanes’ strong shooting.
On Saturday, coach Paul Maurice announced that star winger Sam Reinhart will miss Game 3 due to a knee injury sustained during a hit by Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho.
Additionally, Carolina will see Pyotr Kochetkov step in as starting goaltender in place of Frederik Andersen, who has struggled in the series.
The Hurricanes are keen to end a 14-game losing streak in Eastern Conference Final matches, particularly as they head to South Florida looking for a win to keep their series alive.
Eastern Conference Final Schedule
- All times are Eastern. The series can be streamed on fubo (try for free)
- Game 1: Panthers 5, Hurricanes 2 | Recap
- Game 2: Panthers 5, Hurricanes 0 | Recap
- Game 3: Saturday, May 24 | 8 p.m. | at FLA | TNT, truTV
- Game 4: Monday, May 26 | 8 p.m. | at FLA | TNT, truTV
Odds for Game 3
- Series Odds: Panthers -650, Hurricanes +475
- Game 3 Odds: Panthers -142, Hurricanes +120
Prediction
This is a critical game for the Hurricanes, as they face a must-win situation against the reigning champions. With the Panthers performing strongly, the expectation is for them to secure another victory. Prediction - Panthers 3, Hurricanes 1.
