Florida Panthers - Nashville Predators predictions and free betting tips [21/03/2024]

The Florida Panthers are set to host the Nashville Predators in the next NHL regular season match.

Florida Panthers

Currently, the Florida Panthers hold an impressive 45-19-4 record, amassing a total of 94 points. The team's coming off a rough patch, dropping their last two games by a wide margin: a 0:4 loss against the Carolina Hurricanes and a 3:5 defeat against the Tampa Bay Lightning. This dip follows their otherwise successful season campaign. Florida has faced considerable challenges, particularly in their defence due to the absence of key players. 

On the offensive side, the team is spearheaded by Sam Reinhart, who leads the NHL with 27 power-play goals and is second in the league in overall goals, having netted an impressive 48. Also amongst their ranks are stars such as Matthew Tkachuk, who has chipped in with 54 assists, Carter Verhaeghe, with 30 goals, and Aleksander Barkov, known for his versatility and ability to effectively operate both on offence and defence. The Panthers' goaltending is anchored by Sergei Bobrovsky, who's been posting remarkable results this season, leading the Eastern Conference with a 32-14-2 record, 2.35 goals-against average, and a save percentage of 91.6%.

Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators, with a 40-25-4 standing and 84 total points, are on the brink of making a new club record thanks to their outstanding 15-match point streak. This team, coached by Andrew Brunette, is looking to rebound from the interruption of an eight-year playoff series streak last season and is showing impressive performance, with notable contributions from defender Roman Josi and forwards Filip Forsberg, Gustav Nyqvist and Ryan O'Reilly.

Forsberg, the team's leader in goals (36) and points (74), is edging closer to his personal records of goals and assists set the previous season. Nyqvist and O'Reilly also make significant contributions to Predators' attacking feat. Nashville's defensive line is bolstered with the likes of Ryan McDonagh and Luke Schenn, two-time Stanley Cup winners whose physical power heavily influences the team's play. In the crease, Juuse Saros stands out among NHL goaltenders for games played and starts, showcasing stability with 32 wins versus 23 losses.

Head to Head

The latest head-to-head encounters between the Predators and Panthers have seen Florida claim three consecutive victories: a 4:1 win against Nashville on the 23rd of January 2024, and consecutive 5:2 and 5:0 victories on the 26th and 25th of September 2023 respectively. However, prior to these triumphs, Nashville had prevailed with a 2:1 victory on the 18th of February 2023 and a 7:3 win in the encounter before that.

Match Prediction - Florida Panthers vs Nashville Predators

Florida is in poor shape following a successful win streak earlier in the year, whereas the Predators have been soaring with 4 victories out of their last 5 matches, inching closer towards the 4-5 spot in the Western Conference. I'm considering a risky bet on a Nashville win.