The Florida Panthers (7-0-0) are off to a red-hot start to the season and can now post an eighth consecutive win on Friday against the Detroit Red Wings (4-2-1).
Bookmaker BetOnline offers odds at -170 for another Panthers win while Detroit can be backed with the odds at +153. The goals total is set at 6.0.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: October 28th, 1:30 P.M. (EST)
The Panthers have continued where they left off last season. They were dropped in the opening round of the playoffs by the Tampa Bay Lightning, but the Cats enjoyed a very successful regular season in 2020-21 with a 37-14-5 record.
With three-time Stanley Cup champion Joel Quenneville at the helm, the Panthers became one of the best offensive teams in the league last year and they’ve kept producing with a 4.43 goals-for average.
The team has picked up a lot of depth in recent years and currently boasts seven different players who are averaging at least a point per game. Left wing Jonathan Huberdeau is at the top of the list with nine points.
Huberdeau has a lot to prove in 2021-22 after his form faded quite badly last season. He was in the MVP conversations during the first half of the season but ended up averaging 1.11 points per game, which was a decent mark but not even his career high.
Florida has also been outstanding defensively early in the campaign allowing fewer than two goals per game (1.86). Starting goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has always struggled for consistency since getting a big contract from Florida in 2019, but he’s been back to his best this season with a 1.79 goals-against average and a .946 save percentage.
The Red Wings have had their own goalie troubles in recent years but are encouraged by the start both Thomas Greiss and Alex Nedeljkovic have made. Greiss, the German, boasts a 3-1-0 record with a 2.55 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. It’s going to be tough to keep the Panthers quiet, but Greiss’ form should give Detroit a decent chance of doing it.
Upfront, head coach Jeff Blashill will hope that Dylan Larkin can continue his bounce-back season in style. The Red Wings captain managed only 23 points in 44 outings last season but sits on eight points through his first six appearances in 2021-22.
Larkin always enjoys the battles with Florida and has picked up 23 points in 26 career games in the matchup. However, his form hasn’t often resulted in team success as the Panthers have won 20 of the last 28 meetings between the two teams.
