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Capitals vs. Panthers Prediction and Odds for Game 2 (Can Florida Bounce Back After Disappointing Game 1 Loss?)

By Matt De Saro

Toronto Maple Leafs v Florida Panthers
Toronto Maple Leafs v Florida Panthers / Joel Auerbach/GettyImages
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The Florida Panthers enter Game 2 of this series as heavy favorites over the Washington Capitals. But, Florida opened Game 1 as big favs too, and lost 4-2 against Washington. It was a messy start to the playoffs for Florida, which is on the hunt for the franchise’s first Stanley Cup Championship. 

The Panthers ended the season as the only team in the NHL with a goals-per-game over four. They lead the league in points, goals, and shots taken, but the offense sputtered in Game 1. Most, including myself, didn’t expect the Caps to put up much of a fight. One game and already I’m proven quite wrong. 

Here are the odds for tonight’s matchup, courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook.

Capitals vs. Panthers Odds and Total

Moneyline:

  • Capitals +200
  • Panthers -240

Puck line:

  • Capitals +1.5 (-120)
  • Panthers -1.5 (+100)

Total:

  • 6.5 (Over -130/Under +110)

Capitals vs. Panthers Prediction and Pick

Despite their Game 1 loss, I am not too worried about Florida. For starters, they are stacked from top to bottom. With stars like Aleksander Barov, Aaron Ekblad, and Jonathan Huberdeau, Florida is a tough matchup for any team. If they are able to get ahead early, Washington will be in trouble. 

But that isn’t what happened on Tuesday night. The Capitals came out and scored first at the 3:47 mark of the first period via a power-play goal. The Panthers tied the game up and took the lead early in the second. The game seemed to be slipping away but Washington exploded for three goals in the final 12 minutes of the game. The Panthers tried to rely too much on their offense and left their defense vulnerable to failing. Which is exactly what they did. 

While it was a nice start for Washington, I do not see them winning back-to-back games on the road to start this series. Despite blowing it on Tuesday, the Panthers' offense has too much skill to fail in this series. 

Pick: Panthers -1.5 (+100)

Follow all of Matt De Saro’s betting picks HERE

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