Game 1 of the 2025 NHL Eastern Conference Final features the Carolina Hurricanes hosting the Florida Panthers. Carolina secured their spot by defeating the Washington Capitals in five games in the second round. The Panthers advanced after a hard-fought seven-game series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, culminating in a dominant 6-1 road victory in the decisive game. The opening game is set to take place at PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC.
Reviewing the latest betting odds for this matchup, Carolina is listed as the favorite on the money line at -124, meaning a $124 wager is needed to win $100. The Florida Panthers are the underdog with money line odds of +104, where a $100 bet would yield $104 in winnings. The projected total number of goals (over/under) is set at 5.5. Carolina is also favored on the puck line at -1.5 with odds of +204.
Key Betting Picks for Game 1:
- Hurricanes ML (-124)
- Over 5.5 goals (+105)
Justification for the Hurricanes ML pick: Carolina holds a perfect home record so far in these playoffs, having won all four of their games at PNC Arena, with four of those wins coming by a margin of two goals or more. Furthermore, the Hurricanes have had a significant rest advantage, having completed their previous series earlier, while the Panthers are on a shorter turnaround after playing a demanding Game 7 on Sunday.
Justification for the Over 5.5 goals pick: The Panthers` recent road games have seen high scoring, including netting six goals in each of their last two outings against the Maple Leafs. While Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky had a reasonable 2.55 goals-against average against Carolina during the regular season (allowing five goals over two games), the Hurricanes offense has demonstrated its capability, scoring three or more goals in their last three games.
