In a Monday matchup, the struggling Florida Panthers (0-2-0) take on the New Jersey Devils (1-0-1) at the Prudential Center in Newark. The game is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. ET, as both teams seek a pivotal victory in the early stages of the season.
Florida Panthers Preview
The Panthers, currently at 0-2-0, are on a challenging three-game road trip to begin the season. In their recent game against the Winnipeg Jets, they suffered a 6-4 defeat in a penalty-filled contest with a total of 40 penalty minutes.
Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who played a significant role in the Panthers' Stanley Cup Finals run last season, had a tough outing, allowing five goals on 34 shots. Historically, Bobrovsky tends to start the season slowly, with his October save percentage being the lowest. The Panthers will be eager to see him return to form as the season progresses.
New Jersey Devils Preview
The New Jersey Devils are in the midst of a three-game homestand, having played two 4-3 games, one ending in a win and the other in a shootout loss. Last season, they went 1-2 against the Panthers. Coming off two days of rest, they excelled in such situations last season with a 13-3-3 record.
Goaltender Vitek Vanecek had a strong season with career-best stats but struggled in the playoffs. His performance in regular season home games featured a solid .914 save percentage.
Flordia Panthers Projected Lineup
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New Jersey Devils Projected Lineup
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Florida Panthers vs New Jersey Devils Odds and Predictions
In the upcoming matchup, the Panthers are marked as the underdogs with odds at +150, while the New Jersey Devils are the favorites with odds at -185. The over/under line for the total combined goals is set at 7.
The New Jersey Devils, despite a recent loss, are expected to rebound at home. With a perfect preseason record of 7 wins, they're clear favorites against the struggling Florida Panthers, who have lost 4 of their last 5 games.
Last season's spirit is clearly missing in Florida Panthers prompting us to proclaim Devils as the expected winner for the game.