NHL Picks: Who You Should Take in Hurricanes at Panthers Game Today

Carolina Hurricanes at Florida Panthers

The Panthers have been meandering along. There was some encouraging news with Aaron Ekblad seen practicing with the team. Florida needs Ekblad back desperately to solidify roles and maybe help increase this team’s shooting percentage (just 8%). Combined with a power-play functioning at less than 13%, there are definite problems. 

Now, the likely question is, who starts for both teams? It looks like Sergei Bobrovsky for Florida and Frederik Andersen for Carolina. Keep in mind that the Hurricanes play tomorrow as well. One player who will not be on the ice for the Panthers is Matthew Tkachuk. Tkachuk is serving the second game of his two-game suspension for poking Jonathan Quick in the face.

Could both teams score a fair share of goals on Wednesday night? In the last four meetings, the teams combined for seven goals. Florida has won four straight, but Carolina had six consecutive victories before that.

The Panthers have irked American sports bettors all season. Florida is a mere 3-10 ATS. It is 3-0 at home. Carolina has won five of six games on the road early in the 2022-23 season.

Expect the game to be crazy, and yes, this contest is not on TNT or NHL Network, so fewer eyes may be on it. Florida's puckline (-120) is even troubling. If the Under goes to 7, that may be a potential wager on this night, as an Over of 6.5 at -130 is something to pass on. 

Vancouver Canucks at Montreal Canadiens

This is special for the American sports bettors on Wednesday night. It is the other game not featured on TNT. Vancouver is starting to slowly improve with a 4-1-1 record over the past two weeks. It may not be pretty, but players are starting to get healthy, and Thatcher Demko is starting to play a little like the Demko most are used to seeing.

Montreal expects to start Samuel Monteambeault. This is because Jake Allen faced 43 shots in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night. Back-to-backs typically could be better when betting here. It is why there might be a few more goals than usual. Consider the workload Montembeault could face. Maybe his save prop connects on the Over. Yes, Demko likely gets the call to start for Vancouver. 

There are some decent choices to take little swipes on tonight. One is that Over 6.5 goals at -125. If that tilts further or goes up to 7.0, then pass. Vancouver or Montreal, in regulation, is a scary premise at best. This could quickly turn into a three-point game, which is terrible for bettors. 

The Vancouver moneyline stands at -145. That needs to come down. Why? Even Montreal on a back-to-back is not that scary. Vancouver can blow leads fast. As they say, all it takes is a goal or two in Montreal.

Have you seen the other two games? Pittsburgh and Washington play, and then Minnesota and Anaheim are in the late contest. The problem is injuries for Washington, a massive shakeup in the lineup for the Penguins, and the status of Kirill Kaprizov. Kaprizov speared Drew Doughty on Tuesday night and may be suspended.

Some Picks And More To Chew On

• Washington and Pittsburgh Over 6.5 goals at -110
• Canucks to win by 1 at +725, Canadiens by 1 at +775
• Carolina Moneyline - +10

Good luck, and once again, thanks for reading! We will have a few more plays on social media as conditions warrant.

All odds today come from BetMGM.