Adam Williams presents his prediction for the NHL match.
The Florida Panthers return to home ice looking to strengthen their grip on a top-four spot in the Eastern Conference. For the Utah Hockey Club, the road trip has been brutal, and their playoff hopes are quickly fading in what’s been a turbulent debut season.
Florida Panthers
The Panthers have turned their home arena into a fortress, collecting 69% of available points — the fourth-best home record in the East. They have won 11 of their last 12 games, scoring at least three goals in 10 of those outings. The defensive numbers are just as impressive: only 14 goals conceded in that span (1.2 per game). The Panthers also showed real resolve recently, coming from 1:3 down against the Pittsburgh Penguins to win 4:3 in a shootout.
Utah Hockey Club
The Utah Hockey Club are in disarray defensively. In their last five outings, they’ve shipped 26 goals (5.2 per game), including blowout losses to the Edmonton Oilers (1:7), the Detroit Red Wings (1:5) and the Tampa Bay Lightning (0:8). They now sit 11th in the Western Conference, trailing the wild-card line by 10 points — their postseason chances are hanging by a thread. The goaltending situation is a major concern too. With Connor Ingram still out, neither Jaxson Stauber nor Karel Vejmelka have stepped up — they’ve combined for a woeful 76.6% save percentage over the last five games.
Florida Panthers vs Utah Hockey Club Prediction
The Florida Panthers comfortably dispatched the Utah Hockey Club in their first meeting this season (4:1), and all signs point to a repeat performance. The Panthers are in strong form at home, while the Utah Hockey Club continue to collapse defensively. Back the hosts to win and score at least three goals.
