Top Shelf Picks: Best NHL Bets and Props Today (Hurricanes Will Start Hot vs. Panthers)

The Eastern Conference Final is officially set, and it's a rematch of the 2023 series. That year, the Panthers swept the Hurricanes in four straight games, eventually losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final.

Now, the Panthers are in their third straight year playing in the conference final, but the Hurricanes are hoping they can take down the defending champs and return to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006.

I have a side and prop bet locked in for Tuesday's Game 1. Let's dive into them.

Top NHL Picks Today

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Hurricanes (-125) vs. Panthers
Andrei Svechnikov Anytime Goal (+220)

Panthers vs. Hurricanes Prediction

I expect the Panthers to come into this game tired, just two nights after clinching their series win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7. Not only that, but this could be a tough stylistic matchup for the Panthers. Florida has been the darling of lovers of advanced analytics, but the Panthers struggled to find the back of the net at times, especially in the second half of the season. Now, they face Frederik Andersen, who has a .937 save percentage in the postseason.

On top of that, the Hurricanes can not only match, but surpass the Panthers in the advanced analytics like expected goals and CORSI%. In fact, the Hurricanes were the only team that ranked higher than the Panthers in expected goals percentage during the regular season.

Enough things are going the Hurricanes' way for me to back them to win Game 1 on their home ice.

Pick: Hurricanes -125

Panthers vs. Hurricanes Prop Bet

Andrei Svechnikov leads all players so far this postseason in expected goals at 6.7, despite playing three fewer games than Mikko Rantanen of the Stars and two fewer games than Carter Verhaeghe of the Panthers. The eight goals that he's already recorded in these playoffs are backed up by his advanced metrics. Despite all of this, his odds to score in Game 1 are north of 2-1. That's a bet I'll take 10 times out of 10.

Pick: Andrei Svechnikov Anytime Goal (+220)

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You can check out all of Iain's bets here!