Capitals vs Panthers Odds & Picks: Florida Looking to Bounce Back in Game 2

The NHL’s best team in the regular season will try to rebound from a tough loss in its playoff series opener when the Florida Panthers (58-19-6) take on the Washington Capitals (45-26-12) as big home favorites again at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. The Capitals vs Panthers prediction still has the hosts listed as the second-ranked team in the league right now despite losses in four of their last five games overall. 

Capitals vs Panthers Odds & Analysis

Sportsbook Odds 

Florida’s postseason struggles continued in Game 1 against Washington in a 4-2 loss, and now the team is in a must-win situation to get back into this first-round playoff series. The Panthers have received some early support from bettors, moving up as high as -245 at some books so far. That number could continue to rise knowing what is on the line for Florida. The Capitals had the NHL’s best road record during the regular season, though, and showed why in the series opener, making them live dogs again in this spot. They scored three goals in the third period to steal Game 1 and need to start better in Game 2.

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Washington Equally Comfortable Playing On Road Or At Home

Sure, the Capitals would probably love to have home-ice advantage in this series, but they have proven it does not matter where they play. They won the Stanley Cup five years ago and still have many of the same players on the roster, including Alex Ovechkin, Tom Wilson, T.J. Oshie and John Carlson.

They have been through many wars on the ice over the years and are not intimidated by anyone, including the Presidents’ Trophy Sportsbooks here. That said, Washington cannot afford to wait until the third period to play its best hockey. This team outscored Florida 3-0 in the final 20 minutes of Game 1 to stun the opposition and its fans, something that probably will not happen again. A stronger start will be the key.

Panthers Need To Show Killer Instinct To Win Game 2

Florida has not advanced past the first round of the postseason since the 1995-96 campaign. The Panthers had the best record of any team during the regular season, but this is when wins matter the most.

Florida played well enough to win through the first two periods before veteran goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky let in a pair of goals due in part to some defensive lapses. Bobrovsky still made 34 saves in defeat and was not the reason for the loss. Still, the team has a capable young backup in Spencer Knight, who posted numbers nearly as good as Bobrovsky this year.

No matter who is between the pipes, the Capitals vs Panthers prediction likes the hosts to come through and tie up the series. 

Capitals vs Panthers Pick & Insights

Capitals: Keys To Victory

Washington has experience on its side, which was the difference in Game 1. Ovechkin missed the last three games of the regular season due to an upper-body injury, but he came to play in the series opener and assisted on Evgeny Kuznetsov’s first goal in the third period. That is what you want from your captain – leading by example and gutting it out with 17:36 of ice time. If Ovechkin can keep it up, the Caps can pull off another upset.

Panthers: Keys To Victory

Florida needs to score more goals, plain and simple. In their last three losses, the Panthers have managed to score only two goals in each of them. They thrive when they can pressure their opponents by scoring early and often, and playoff hockey is usually played at a different pace with defense and goaltending becoming more important. Closing is the key and something that must improve for Florida to win this one. If you are taking the hosts with your Capitals vs Panthers pick, then you are counting on them scoring three goals or more. They are 23-2 in their last 25 games when scoring at least three goals. 

Odds Shark’s Computer Capitals vs Panthers Prediction: Panthers ML (-255)

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