Carolina Hurricanes vs Florida Panthers Game 4 Prediction – 5/26/2025

The stakes can hardly climb higher for Carolina as the Hurricanes battle the Florida Panthers in Sunrise on Monday night. Florida’s emphatic 6-2 triumph on Saturday stretched the series lead to 3-0 for Florida, a daunting deficit for the Hurricanes and a golden opportunity for the Panthers to book a third straight ticket to the Stanley Cup Final. Sergei Bobrovsky’s metronomic calm backed a four-goal outburst in four minutes that broke Game 3 wide open, and Aleksander Barkov, Niko Mikkola and company again exposed gaps in Carolina’s depth chart.

Carolina Hurricanes vs Florida Panthers Game 4 Preview

Through three contests Florida has outscored Carolina 16-4, winning twice in Raleigh and once at Amerant Bank Arena. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has yielded only four tallies in the series, while the Hurricanes' goaltending situation has seen multiple goaltenders feature as they haven't had an answer for the Panthers' aggressive attack. The Panthers’ relentless forecheck has forced repeated turnovers, allowing Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk to dictate tempo.

Paul Maurice’s lineup could be even stronger for Game 4. Rugged blue-liner Mikkola, who missed the opener but returned Saturday with two goals, reported no setbacks Sunday, and winger A.J. Greer is expected to dress after sitting out Game 3. The bigger question hovers over 39-goal man Sam Reinhart. Officially listed day-to-day with a lower-body issue, the Selke finalist skated in a no- sweater Sunday and will be evaluated Monday morning.

Carolina, in contrast, faces blue-line attrition. Sean Walker and Jalen Chatfield remain doubtful, and veteran winger Jesper Fast remains on long-term injured reserve. Rod Brind’Amour’s group relies heavily on top pair Jaccob Slavin and Brent Burns, but fatigue showed during Florida’s late-game surge Saturday. Up front, Sebastian Aho (74 points in the regular season) and Seth Jarvis (32 goals) must rediscover their finishing touch, as the pair has combined for one goal in the conference final.

Special-teams numbers underline the gulf in quality between these teams so far. Florida’s power play is 4-for-11 in the series, lifting its postseason conversion rate to 27.8%, while Carolina’s man-advantage has sputtered to 1-for-12 despite an 18.7% regular-season clip. If the Hurricanes are to extend their season, tightening entries and limiting seam es will be non-negotiable.

Betting Insights

• Moneyline: Panthers -170, Hurricanes +150.
• Puck line: Panthers -1.5 +145; Hurricanes +1.5 -175.
• Total: 5.5 goals — Over EVEN, Under -120.
• Series price: Panthers -5000; Hurricanes +1200 (consensus markets early Monday).
• Recent form: Florida is 8-2 in its past ten playoff games; Carolina is 2-5 in its past seven.
• Key player props (average prices):
  • Barkov to record 2+ points +220
  • Tkachuk over 3.5 shots -105
  • Aho anytime goal +175
• Injury considerations: Reinhart’s status could shift juice on Florida team-total markets; Walker or Chatfield absences raise the likelihood Brind’Amour leans on minutes-heavy pairings, opening live-bet opportunities on Panthers third-period goals.

Carolina Hurricanes vs Florida Panthers Game 4 Prediction

Carolina’s pathway to victory is narrow. The club must slow Florida’s cycle, generate interior looks and stay out of the box. Yet the underlying numbers suggest an uphill battle: the Panthers have carried 57.1% of expected goals at five-on-five through three games and have dominated high-danger attempts 40-22. Even with a heroic Kochetkov performance, the Hurricanes still need multi-goal , something absent since May 15.

Florida’s depth advantage grows if Mikkola and Greer bolster already stout forward and defense rotations. Reinhart’s potential return would further extend an offense averaging 5.33 goals in the set. Brind’Amour’s decision to stick with traditional pairings rather than dress extra forwards has exposed a lack of mobility on the third pair, and Barkov’s line has hunted that mismatch relentlessly. Expect Maurice to continue pressing with aggressive neutral-zone pressure that has limited Carolina to an average of 25.0 shots per game.

The betting board reflects this dynamic. The Panthers have cashed the puck line in all three outings and the over has hit twice. With Bobrovsky dialed in and Carolina’s blue line short-handed, Florida’s attack should again find space, while a desperate Hurricanes forecheck could open odd-man rushes the other direction, perfect conditions for another multi-goal victory.

Best Bet: Panthers -1.5 (+145). The price offers plus-money value on a trend that has paid repeatedly. Secondary lean to Over 5.5 at even money given Florida’s firepower and Carolina’s need to press.

Score forecast: Panthers 4, Hurricanes 2.

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