After a quiet Wednesday night, the NHL is back in full force with nine games on Thursday night.
The marquee matchup will take place in the Eastern Conference, with the defending champion Florida Panthers set to take on a terrific New York Rangers team yet to drop a single game inside regulation.
My Panthers vs. Rangers predictions see Florida’s hard-nosed volume shooter, Sam Bennett, making his presence felt against one of the league’s best teams.
Let’s take a closer look with my NHL picks for October 24.
Panthers vs Rangers prediction
My best bet
Sam Bennett Over 2.5 shots on goal (-144 at FanDuel)
My analysis
Sam Bennett’s shot-generation has hit a new level. He’s recorded at least three shots on goal in seven of eight games this season, averaging 3.8 per night.
His lone failure came against a Vancouver Canucks team that plays low-event hockey and ranks Top-10 in shot suppression. There’s no shame in that.
Bennett’s volume has been consistent. He’s producing 7.1 shot attempts per game, which is well above his 2023-24 average of 5.5.
That kind of output is elite for a player who spends as much time around the net as Bennett. It’s a lot easier to hit the target consistently when shots are coming from in tight on a goaltender.
While some may think Bennett’s shooting spike is a byproduct of Aleksander Barkov missing games, the numbers indicate that’s not the case.
Bennett played two games with Barkov in the lineup before his injury. Bennett combined to record eight shots on 20 attempts while clearing his line in both contests.
Bennett leads the Florida Panthers in shot attempts and shots on goal at 5-on-5. Whether Barkov plays or not, his role will not change centering Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk. Thus, his volume should hold.
It’s worth noting the New York Rangers are a high-event team that sits second in 5-on-5 pace thus far. This is also a big measuring stick game where the Panthers will likely ride their best players.
Look for Bennett to continue to build on his recent shooting success.
Panthers vs Rangers same-game parlay (SGP)
Sam Bennett Over 2.5 shots on goal
Adam Fox Over 1.5 shots on goal
Florida Panthers +2.5 (alt. spread)
Adam Fox is very matchup dependent for his shooting. The good news is he finds himself in a good one against the Panthers. They’re a strong defensive side that doesn’t give up a lot of volume from the middle of the ice, largely keeping opposing offenses to perimeter shots. That has led to a lot of volume for opposing defensemen.
The Panthers have allowed more shots per game to defenders than all but the Minnesota Wild thus far.
Over just the past few games, Quinn Hughes recorded nine shots against the Panthers, Zach Werenski piled up seven, Brayden McNabb recorded five, Noah Hanifin had four, and so forth. Minute munchers are consistently putting up big numbers against the Cats.
I like backing the Panthers to cover an alternate spread to juice up the price. I’m expecting Florida to have a much better effort after suffering a blowout loss on home soil.
The Rangers might also be due for a little regression. Igor Shesterkin is the great equalizer, of course, but the Rangers sit 27th in expected goals against and second in actual goals against at 5-on-5. That’s too far of a gap for even Shesterkin to bridge over a large sample.
Win or lose, the Panthers should have little problem keeping this game close.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
Panthers vs Rangers odds
Panthers vs Rangers live odds
Panthers vs Rangers opening odds
- Puck line: Florida +1.5 (-203) | New York -1.5 (+177)
- Moneyline: Florida +128 | New York -145
- Over/Under: Over 6 (-104) | Under 6 (-110)
Panthers vs Rangers trend
Adam Fox has cleared 1.5 shots on goal in five consecutive home games against Florida. Find more NHL betting trends for Panthers vs. Rangers.
How to watch Panthers vs Rangers
| Location: | Madison Square Garden, New York, NY |
| Date: | Thursday, 10-24-2024 |
| Puck drop: | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | SCRIPPS, MSG |
Panthers vs Rangers latest injuries
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