New York Rangers - Florida Panthers predictions and free betting tips [31/05/2024]

The New York Rangers and the Florida Panthers will face off tomorrow morning in Game 5 of the NHL Eastern Conference finals.

New York Rangers

The New York Rangers lost their last game to Florida in overtime with a score of 2-3. Trocheck put the visitors ahead, but Florida took the lead by the third period. Lafrenière, assisted by Fox and Panarin (his 2nd point in the series), equalised, but Wheeler’s penalty in overtime led the series to a 2-2 tie. The Rangers have shown solid shot conversion in recent games. Despite a significant shot disadvantage—40 against 23 in the last game, and an overall disadvantage of 30 shots in the series—there are no issues with scoring efficiency, although not all the key players have been performing brilliantly. Vincent Trocheck remains the leader with 8 goals and 11 assists, while goalie Igor Shesterkin has demonstrated steadfast performance, saving 120 out of 130 shots in the series. Notably, team star Artemi Panarin has only gathered 2 points in the series, a significant factor ahead of upcoming games.

In these playoffs, New York has already outplayed the Washington Capitals (4:1) and the Carolina Hurricanes (4:2). The Rangers score an average of 3.14 goals per game, with a 26.1% success rate on power plays and an 83% penalty kill rate. Vincent Trocheck has 8 goals, 11 assists, and 41 shots, while Panarin and Zibanejad have each tallied 14 points.

Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers have shown impressive results in the current series, despite fluctuating success in offence. They managed to tie the series in the last game with a 3-2 overtime win, courtesy of a goal by Reinhart. Carter Verhaeghe, Aleksander Barkov, and Matthew Tkachuk have collectively scored 5 goals and provided 10 assists, playing pivotal roles in the team's attacking efforts. Meanwhile, the club's defence maintains a high standard, conceding only 9 goals during the series, largely thanks to contributions from Brandon Montour, Gustav Forsling, and the stellar goaltending of Sergei Bobrovsky, who has saved 91 out of 100 shots. The Panthers displayed their strength in the latest match by winning 3-2 in overtime, levelling the series. Florida launched a vigorous offence in this game, taking 40 shots on goal and converting 2 out of 4 power-play opportunities. Despite losing two previous games in overtime, the last match showcased their ability to control the game and seize opportunities in crucial moments.

Following their successful outings against Tampa Bay and Boston in the earlier playoff rounds, Florida approaches the upcoming games with optimism. The team averages 3.33 goals per game, combining a power-play efficiency of 25% with a defence that successfully kills 87.2% of penalties, making them a formidable competitor. Matthew Tkachuk continues to lead the team with 5 goals and 14 assists, while Barkov and Verhaeghe have each contributed 17 points.

Prediction for the match New York Rangers - Florida Panthers

In 3 out of 4 games in the series, very cautious hockey was played, with the Russian goalie duo Shesterkin and Bobrovsky being almost impassable, both maintaining excellent form. For the crucial Game 5 in New York, I predict a total goals under (TU) 5.