Carolina Hurricanes vs Florida Panthers Game 3 Pick – 5/24/2025

The Eastern Conference Final swings to Sunrise on Saturday night with the Carolina Hurricanes urgently searching for answers after consecutive defeats that have tilted the series. Florida seized control in Raleigh, opening with a clinical 5-2 win and following up with a resounding 5-0 shutout that hushed the usually raucous Lenovo Center. Those back-to-back wins give the defending champions a 2-0 cushion and a chance to push Carolina to the brink on home ice.

Carolina Hurricanes vs Florida Panthers Game 3 Preview

Florida’s confidence is soaring. The Panthers have outscored opponents 22-4 in their last four road games and now bring the party to Amerant Bank Arena, where they hammered Carolina 6-0 in a December showdown. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky enters with three shutouts this postseason and a .936 save percentage through 14 games, backstopping a group that layers pressure with an aggressive forecheck and swift neutral-zone puck recovery. Center Sam Bennett has erupted for nine goals and four assists, leading all remaining skaters in sniping prowess, while Aleksander Barkov continues to drive play with deft puck protection and decisive distribution.

The Hurricanes, meanwhile, arrive in South Florida still looking for their first goal since late in Game 1. Carolina must rediscover its trademark shot volume after being held to seventeen attempts in Game 2, their third-fewest in any playoff outing since relocation. Andrei Svechnikov paces the club with eight postseason goals, but he and top pivot Sebastian Aho have been boxed out of dangerous ice by Florida’s depth on defense, particularly Gustav Forsling and Brandon Montour, who limit lateral seams and steer attackers to the boards. Frederik Andersen struggled Thursday and will need to rebound for Carolina to stay in the series.

Special teams swing sharply in Florida’s favor through two contests: the Panthers are 2/6 on the power play while Carolina is scoreless on five opportunities. Should that trend hold, the Hurricanes must generate five-on-five offense from their mobile blue line. Brent Burns and Shayne Gostisbehere combined for 23 regular-season goals but have yet to find the net in this round. Look for Carolina to shuffle combinations in an effort to free Jarvis or Teuvo Teräväinen for quick-strike chances high in the zone.

Betting Insights

• Moneyline: Panthers -146, Hurricanes +122
• Puck line: Panthers -1.5 at +180, Hurricanes +1.5 at -225
• Total goals: 5.5 with the over priced at +112 and the under at -138
• Series price: Panthers -700, Hurricanes +425

Florida has now won six of its last seven playoff games and is 5-1 in its past six at Amerant Bank Arena. The Panthers have covered the puck line in four of those six victories. Carolina, by contrast, carries a fourteen-game skid in Conference Finals action dating back to 2006 and is 1-4 in its last five away games this postseason. The under has landed in three straight Panthers home games, yet Florida’s recent scoring burst plus Carolina’s desperation adds intrigue to the goal total.

Carolina Hurricanes vs Florida Panthers Game 3 Prediction

Momentum, depth and goaltending all lean Florida’s direction. The Panthers roll four lines capable of owning puck possession, and their blue-line group denies controlled entries, forcing dump-ins that Bobrovsky and company handle cleanly. Carolina’s hope rests on early offense to crack Florida’s structure and plant doubt, but there is little evidence thus far that the Hurricanes can sustain pressure long enough to do so. Expect Brind’Amour’s crew to push hard in the opening frame, yet the Panthers’ ability to counter off turnovers should eventually tilt the ice.

Best bet: Panthers moneyline -146. Florida’s defensive commitment paired with Bobrovsky’s form suggests another low-event contest, so pairing the Panthers with under 5.5 at +225 in a same-game parlay offers additional value. For props, Sam Bennett anytime goal at +200 is enticing given his current finishing touch and heavy usage on the top power-play unit.

Score forecast: Panthers 3, Hurricanes 1. Florida extends its advantage to 3-0 and inches within one victory of a return trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

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