Should You Bet the Panthers As Home Favorites in Game 3 vs the Rangers
Typically when fans of the New York Rangers have mentioned Barclay Goodrow’s name this season, the message is not meant for the family-based audience. However, the underachieving forward matched his regular-season goal total with the game-winning goal in overtime to give the Rangers a potential season-saving victory. The Eastern Conference Final moves to Florida tied 1-1 with the NHL odds having the Panthers favored in Game 3.
This is the first series between the teams since 1997 when the Rangers won in five games. Florida won its lone home game against the Rangers back in December behind a pair of Sam Reinhart goals. Seven of the last eight times that the Rangers played at the Panthers, the game was decided by one goal with the last nine matchups all going over the total.
The Rangers and Panthers had played 19 consecutive games without a contest finishing under the total before the first two games in this series went under the total.
Bet the Florida Panthers As Home Favorites in Game 3 vs the New York Rangers
The Las Vegas odds have Florida priced at -160 to win Game 3. There are +170 odds for the Panthers to cover at -1½ on the puck line. The Rangers gave +135 odds to improve to 5-1 on the road in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Panthers are priced at +375 to win the series in six games and make it back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Finals. There are +450 odds for either Florida or New York to win the series in seven games.
According to the NHL playoff odds, the Panthers (+225) trail only the Edmonton Oilers for the shortest odds to win the Stanley Cup. The Rangers saw their championship odds move from +360 to +320 after the Game 2 victory.
Rangers vs Panthers Game Information
- Game: New York Rangers 71-26-4 (29-13-4 on the road) at Florida Panthers 61-27-7 (31-14-2 at home)
- Date/Time: Sunday, May 26, 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, FL
- TV & Live Stream: ABC, ESPN+
Rempe A Hit In Game 2 For the Rangers
After being shut out in the series opener and being pushed around by the Florida Panthers, there were calls from people as prominent as 1994 Rangers playoff hero Mark Messier to get rugged rookie winger Matt Rempe into the lineup in Game 2.
Rempe, who played at least 10 minutes just once in 17 regular-season games and averaged less than 6½ minutes of ice time in his first seven playoff games, played 10:06 in the game.
While he did not factor into the scoring, Rempe had a game-high nine hits, blocked a shot, and did not commit a penalty. Goodrow, his linemate, delivered the biggest hit of the game when his shot off the rush from between the faceoff circles eluded Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky as Florida saw its 11-game overtime winning streak in the Stanley Cup Playoffs come to an end.
Things About to Get Nasty
The Rangers were credited with 27 hits in Game 1 of the series against the Panthers. It was a different story in the second game as the Rangers were credited with 51 hits after averaging 31 hits in its first 11 games in this year’s playoffs.
Those hits came while sending the Panthers to the power play just twice with the Rangers taking no penalties in the third period or in overtime to give them the chance to even the series.
Don’t be surprised to see more of the rough stuff as the series shifts to Florida.
There were 58, 52, and 52 recorded hits in the three regular-season games. Don’t be surprised to see that total exceeded by the end of the second period in Game 3.
Notable Betting Trends: Can Panthers Deliver As Home Favorite?
The Panthers have won nine of their last 11 games as the home favorite but have only covered against the puck line in five of those matchups.
New York has won four of its last five games as the road underdog and has covered in 10 straight games as the underdog on the road.
Here are some numbers to consider for those who bet online:
- The last nine times that the Rangers played on the road against Florida, the game went over the total.
- Seventeen of the last 20 games between the Rangers and the Panthers finished over the total.
- Florida is 54-23-2 as a favorite this season.
- The Rangers are 13-8-2 when listed as the underdog.
- New York is 27-19 against the puck line on the road.
- Florida has covered in just 16 of 47 games on home ice.
- Only 18 of the home games for the Panthers have landed over the total.
- Four of New York’s last six games went under the total.
Ready For A Power Surge?
The Panthers and the Rangers are 1-for-11 on the power play in the first two games of the series with Florida’s only goal in Game 2 coming with the man advantage.
Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has stopped all 10 shots he has faced when the Panthers are killing penalties in this season. Igor Shesterkin of the Rangers has only seen five shots when Florida is on the power play in the first two games. The Rangers have been the more efficient team on the power play in this year’s playoffs so let’s see if New York’s power play gets cooking in Florida.
