Panthers vs. Hurricanes Prediction: Game 1 Odds & Expert Picks, May 20

Florida and Carolina kick off the Eastern Conference Final as we offer our Panthers vs. Hurricanes prediction for Tuesday's Game 1.

Gary Pearson

Last updated: May 19, 2025 10:04 AM EDT • 3 min read

Panthers vs. Hurricanes Prediction: Game 1 Odds & Expert Picks, May 20 — Pictured: Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand and forward Eetu Luostarinen against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Photo by John E. Sokolowski via Imagn Images

The Florida Panthers are four wins away from punching their ticket to a third straight Stanley Cup Final, with the defensive specialist Carolina Hurricanes standing in the way. Hosting the Panthers at Lenovo Center (8 p.m. ET, TNT), the Hurricanes are the favorites at our best sports betting sites ahead of the opener.

However, our Panthers vs. Hurricanes prediction and NHL picks for Tuesday's Game 1 expect the defending Cup champions to showcase why rest isn't always best.

👉 For more coverage, check out our Panthers vs. Hurricanes series prediction.

💰 Panthers vs. Hurricanes expert picks for Game 1

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✅ Against the spread pick: Maple Leafs +1.5 (-250 via Caesars) ⭐⭐
✅ Moneyline pick: Panthers (+110 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐
✅ Over/Under pick: Under 5.5 goals (-120 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐

🏒 Game 1 prediction & best bet

🎯 Score prediction: Panthers 3, Hurricanes 2

That old chestnut of rest vs. rust could be decisive for Tuesday's Game 1. Since Thursday, the Hurricanes have watched the events unfold between the Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs.

That's five days' rest compared to the Panthers' one. I'm going with the assertion that the Panthers will benefit more as they should be flying, still on a high from beating Toronto again in a relatively stress-free yet dominant fashion.

The Hurricanes have the only remaining unbeaten home record (5-0) but haven't faced a team like the Panthers, who play at a torrid pace with heightened aggressiveness. It could take Carolina a period or two to adjust. Plus, the Panthers boast the best away record (5-2).

Sergei Bobrovsky is back to his elite best, allowing four goals in the previous four games, with a .957 save percentage and 1.01 goals-against average. While Frederik Andersen - among the Conn Smythe Trophy odds favorites - is the best goaltender in the playoffs thus far, Bobrovsky takes that mantle over the aforementioned stretch.

The Panthers' netminder won't have time to come out of his zen zone, while five days off may impact Andersen's timing and focus, if only briefly.

✅ Best bet: Panthers ML (+110 via bet365)

📈 Panthers vs. Hurricanes odds

Live updated odds from our best sports betting apps.

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Written By:
Gary Pearson

Gary Pearson has written professionally since 2010, focusing on sports betting since 2014. Before entering the sports betting space, he contributed to the Canadian Press, FanSided, the Hockey Writers, the Calgary Herald, and other publications. His work has also been featured in Sports Illustrated and Bleacher Report. Gary, who consumes sports like a blue whale devours plankton, has a penchant for writing predictions and analyses across several sports, including hockey, soccer, football, tennis, and more. He bets regularly, preferring single-game picks, props, and live betting. While there isn't a sport he has yet to dabble in, Gary prefers betting on soccer, hockey, and football. He studied at various post-secondary institutions, including the University of Calgary, SAIT Polytechnic, and Griffith University, located in Brisbane, Australia. Gary has a marketing degree and completed his bachelor's degree in journalism at Griffith University. He feels strongly that life experience is as essential as post-secondary education, helping formulate more accurate predictions and analyses. Gary believes that competing at a high level of amateur sports during his formative years helped him better understand an athlete's psyche and the nuances and complexities of a team's dynamic, both on and off the playing surface. He feels that knowledge is immeasurably important when offering his analytical expertise. He has lived on five continents and currently resides in Canada.