The Florida Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes meet in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs Tuesday at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET (TNT / truTV / Max). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's NHL odds around the Panthers vs. Hurricanes odds and make our expert NHL picks and predictions .

The Panthers are halfway home in their quest to defend their Stanley Cup championship. After polishing off the Tampa Bay Lightning in 5 games in the first round, Florida added to the sad playoff history of the Toronto Maple Leafs with a Game 7 rout at Scotiabank Arena on Sunday, winning 6-1.

Panthers centers Brad Marchand and Eetu Luostarinen lead the team with 9 assists and 12 points with a plus-11 rating through the first 12 playoff games. Meanwhile, LW Matthew Tkachuk has returned from an injury at the 4 Nations Face-off, leading the Panthers with 6 power-play points in the playoffs, including 2 goals. C Sam Reinhart has managed 4 goals and 11 points, while taking a team-high 41 shots on goal (SOG), valuable information if you're into prop plays.

The Hurricanes vanquished the New Jersey Devils in 5 games, and then they sent the Washington Capitals packing in 5 games, too. It's been all about goaltending for the Canes, as Frederik Andersen is 7-2-0 with a 1.36 goals-against average (GAA) and .937 save percentage (SV%) through 9 playoff games. He was injured in the New Jersey series in Game 4, but he has since bounced back nicely.

On offense, centers Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis have paced the attack with 10 points apiece, while RW Andrei Svechnikov leads the team with 8 goals in the postseason. Aho and Jarvis have led the way with 6 power-play points apiece, too, with Aho lighting the lamp 3 times on the man advantage.

The Under is 4-1 in the past 5 games for Carolina, while the Over is 5-0 in the past 5 playoff road games for Florida, while going 6-1 in this postseason away from home. The Under was 2-1 in 3 regular-season meetings between these contenders, with the total going low in 4 of the past 5 meetings. The winning team has shutouts in 3 of the past 5 in the series.

These teams met in the 2023 Eastern Conference Final, with Florida sweeping in 4 games. All 4 games were decided by a single goal, including a 4-OT thriller in Game 1 in Raleigh.

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Panthers at Hurricanes odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook ; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:19 p.m. ET.

Panthers at Hurricanes projected goalies

Bobrovsky snapped back on track after a slow start in the Toronto series. He allowed 4 or more goals in each of the first 3 games of that series, as the Panthers fell into an 0-2 series hole. Florida was down 3-1 in Game 3 before Bobrovsky rose up and led the way. He allowed just 4 goals in the final 4 games, including 3 wins, and he stopped all 23 shots he faced in a Game 4 shutout win on home ice.

Andersen has returned from an injury in Game 4 of the New Jersey better than ever. He allowed 2 or fewer goals in the Washington series, including a 21-save shutout in Game 3 in Raleigh. Andersen has held teams to one or zero goals in 6 of his 9 playoff starts. No other goaltender remaining in the postseason has a sub-2.00 GAA in the playoffs.

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Panthers at Hurricanes picks and predictions

Prediction

Moneyline

The PANTHERS (+105) are slight underdogs on the road, but to be the champs, you have to beat the champs. Florida just came off a 7-game series win against Toronto, but it is relatively fresh, and the previous 2 road games resulted in a pair of wins by a 12-2 margin.

Rust is actually a concern for the Hurricanes, who have been off since Thursday. That's great for resting bumps and bruises, but it can also get you out of your rhythm a bit.

Puck line/Against the spread

The Panthers +1.5 (-250) are way too expensive, costing you 2 1/2 times your potential return, if you'd like a little bit of insurance. That's way too expensive. If you like Florida, just bet it straight up.

PASS .

Over/Under

UNDER 5.5 ( -125 ) is a little on the pricey side, but it's the way to go in Game 1 of this series.

We should see plenty of defense, backchecking, hitting and solid goaltending in this entire series. Carolina isn't a high-octane offense, although it will test Bobrovsky with plenty of shots on goal. But, defense and neutral-zone play is Carolina's specialty, while Florida will rely on a solid power play unit to make a difference. If the Hurricanes play a disciplined game, not giving the Panthers chances on the man advantage, we should see plenty of low scores.

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