Hurricanes vs. Panthers odds, picks, and prediction: Best bet for Game 3 on Saturday

The Carolina Hurricanes have their backs against the wall.

After making quick work of the New Jersey Devils and Washington Capitals in the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Canes are getting smothered by the Florida Panthers.

Florida has outscored Carolina 10-2 in the first two contests of the Eastern Conference finals, and now the series shifts to the Sunshine State for Games 3 and 4.

The Panthers are -140 favorites to win Game 3, and they’re -820 to advance to the Stanley Cup.

What has to be most frustrating for the Hurricanes is that we’ve seen this movie before.

The Canes have lost 14 straight games in the Eastern Conference finals since 2009, and the Panthers swept them in this same round two seasons ago. The same problems from Carolina’s recent playoff exits, including last year’s at the hands of the Rangers, are still plaguing it.

The goaltending has been spotty, and the Canes can’t score their way out of any trouble.

Carolina was able to bully its way through weaker 5-on-5 teams like the banged-up Devils and the Capitals, but the Panthers are a completely different animal. That has forced Carolina to go to Plan B, which is something that it has struggled with under Rod Brind’Amour.

---

Betting on the NHL?

• Check out the best NHL betting sites
• Read our expert guide on how to bet on the NHL

---

Florida boasted some of the best 5-on-5 numbers in the NHL this season, and the Cats have a distinct advantage in goal and they have much more star power than the Hurricanes.

In other words, the Hurricanes are unlikely to have their way with the Panthers like they did with the Devils and Capitals, who just simply couldn’t keep up with Carolina at 5-on-5.

To beat the Panthers, the Hurricanes need to play close to a perfect game, which is incredibly hard to accomplish.

The play: Panthers -140

---

Why Trust New York Post Betting

Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.