Vancouver Canucks vs. Florida Panthers Prediction, NHL Odds

Nik Kowalski | Updated Oct 17, 2024

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The Vancouver Canucks remain on the hunt for their first victory of the season when they visit the defending champion Florida Panthers on Thursday.

Vancouver
14-8-3-1
AT
October 17, 2024, 7:00 PM ET
BB&T Center
Florida
17-9-2
Puckline -1.5 +210
Moneyline -110
Over / Under o +5.5
Matchup Odds
Puckline +1.5 -275
Moneyline -110
Over / Under u +5.5
Matchup Odds

It’s the second of a four-game road trip for the Canucks that starts through the state of Florida. Vancouver opened the trip with a 4-1 defeat at Tampa Bay on Tuesday. Florida’s returning home after coming away with four points in a road back-to-back spot, last playing Tuesday in a highly-emotional Columbus environment.

Star winger Sam Reinhart’s so far made good of his big extension in the off-season, leading the Panthers with four goals and four assists through their first five outings. Without starting goalie Thatcher Demko, Vancouver’s began their campaign allowing four goals per game.

Puck drop at Amerant Bank Arena goes at 7 p.m. EDT with the Panthers a -115 moneyline favourite at home and the total at six on the NHL odds.

Canucks vs. Panthers NHL Betting Odds

The Panthers have started this season going Over in four of their five outings as they are both well above three goals and three goals against per game. Both of the Panthers’ road wins earlier this week came via 4-3 scores — and the second period’s where most of the scoring happened (four goals in Monday’s second period, five goals in Tuesday’s second period). Dating back to last season, the Over’s hit in eight of Florida’s last 10 games.

Florida is 6-2 in their last eight times hosting the Canucks. Five straight Canucks contests against an Eastern Conference total have finished under the total, but the combined .869 save percentage between Arturs Silovs and Kevin Lankinen shouldn’t inspire any confidence in the low-scoring believers. 

Vancouver Canucks

It’s not just Arturs Silovs and Kevin Lankinen getting settled in Vancouver — it’s the backend too. Free agent additions Derek Forbort and Vincent Desharnais were supposed to add some size and sturdiness to Vancouver’s defensive side, but Desharnais’ now serving as a healthy scratch to Noah Juulsen to shore up Vancouver’s four goals against per game pace. Vancouver also called up Erik Brännström, who could make his Canucks debut at Florida.

After a five-goal outburst in their season debut, the Canucks’ offence has dried up a bit too. Elias Pettersson’s still looking for his first goal of the 2024-25 campaign; good thing there’s no pressure on him in this Vancouver market already (he says sarcastically). On the bright side, Brock Boeser’s off to a hot start once again with two goals in three games.

Florida Panthers

For a team as deep as the Panthers, it was evident during their championship run last season that when Panthers get rolling — they roll. Two road wins in as many nights could be the start of a tear for Florida, considering they’ve got three home outings ahead. The likes of Sam Reinhart and Anton Lundell are way ahead of this though, with Reinhart’s eight points leading the team and Lundell, Reinhart’s centre, right behind with five points. With Aleksander Barkov injured, Sam Bennett’s been elevated to the top-line centre and has three goals and two assists so far.

One of the cons of going on lengthy post-season runs is exhaustion, particularly in net. With five games in the past seven days the Panthers deployed Sergei Bobrovsky in net three times and Spencer Knight twice. Both have save percentages below .900, albeit it’s early. Point is, if the Panthers are to go on another run it’ll take both goalies to perform well — so don’t be surprised if it’s Knight again between the pipes on Thursday.

NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Canucks vs. Panthers?

NHL Predictions
SportsInteraction
  • VAN
  • -110 -110
  • FLA
Matchup NHL Odds