Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the NHL match.
The Carolina Hurricanes managed to extend their postseason with a textbook away performance in Game 4, securing a 3:0 win. The series now returns to North Carolina, where the Carolina Hurricanes had previously dropped both home games by a collective scoreline of 2:10.
Carolina Hurricanes
After Game 3, head coach Rod Brind'Amour openly criticised his key players, who responded with a composed and high-quality display. Still, scoring continues to be a major issue for the Hurricanes. They have managed only seven goals across the four games, with just two coming at even strength (5-on-5). Seth Jarvis, Sebastian Aho, and Andrei Svechnikov have yet to assert themselves in the series, while rookie Logan Stankoven (4+3) has been the standout contributor in attack. It took a maximum-effort defensive performance for the squad to snatch a single victory from the Florida Panthers.
Florida Panthers
This echoes a similar situation in the previous round against the Toronto Maple Leafs, where the squad secured a 2:0 win in Game 6 with a defensive masterclass, only to be eliminated in Game 7 with a 1:6 defeat. Beating the Panthers through sheer defence two games in a row is a tall order — they are adept at provoking errors and punishing them. The Panthers also have room to improve in terms of personnel. Injured players such as Sam Reinhart, Niko Mikkola, and Radko Gudas are expected to return to the lineup imminently. It would be surprising if all three remained absent.
Carolina Hurricanes vs Florida Panthers Prediction
Brad Marchand also deserves a mention. The former Boston Bruins forward is a proven performer in high-pressure situations, ranking fourth among active players in career points during decisive playoff games (7+17). This Florida Panthers squad has been built to shut down opposing offences. As long as they maintain that standard, there’s little reason to doubt their control of the series. We’re backing a Florida Panthers win.
