The Florida Panthers (24-18-3) travel to face the Carolina Hurricanes (28-15-4) in a Metropolitan-Atlantic clash between two playoff hopefuls. Sitting seventh in the Atlantic, the Panthers are coming off back-to-back wins but remain inconsistent on the road, while the top-ranked Hurricanes in the Metropolitan look to rebound from a shutout loss with their elite home defense. This marks the third meeting this season, with the Panthers winning both prior games (4-3 SO on Dec. 20, 2025, and 5-2 on Dec. 23, 2025). Key storylines include Carolina’s rebounding prowess and Florida’s injury challenges, potentially leading to a low-scoring, physical battle favoring the Hurricanes’ depth.
Venue Location
Lenovo Center, Raleigh, North Carolina. This 18,680-capacity arena is the Hurricanes’ home, known for its raucous crowd and strong home-ice advantage.
Puckdrop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. PT / 6:00 p.m. CT). The game airs nationally on NHL Network, with regional coverage on SNO, TVAS, FDSNSO, and SCRIPPS. Streaming available via ESPN+ and NHL.TV (regional restrictions apply).
Recent Team Forms
The Panthers are 5-4-1 in their last 10 games, showing offensive flashes but defensive vulnerabilities. They edged the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 (Jan. 12) with A.J. Greer’s two goals and beat the Ottawa Senators 3-2 (Jan. 10) thanks to Gustav Forsling’s contributions. Losses include a 5-1 defeat to the New York Rangers (Jan. 7) and 6-2 to the Philadelphia Flyers (Jan. 8). Averaging 3.1 goals per game (GPG) recently, they’ve allowed ~3.4, with strong power plays (20%) but penalty kill issues (~78%).
The Hurricanes are 5-4-1 in their last 10, dominant at home but inconsistent overall. They fell 3-0 to the St. Louis Blues (Jan. 13) in their first shutout but rallied for a 4-3 OT win over the Detroit Red Wings (Jan. 12) and 3-2 vs. the Seattle Kraken (Jan. 10). Wins include 5-2 over the Anaheim Ducks (Jan. 8) and 6-3 vs. the Dallas Stars (Jan. 6). Averaging 3.2 GPG, they’ve conceded ~3.1, leading the league in shots (32 per game) and possession.
| Team | Last 10 Record | Avg. GPG (Last 10) | Avg. GA (Last 10) | Key Trend |
| Panthers | 5-4-1 | ~3.1 | ~3.4 | Strong special teams in wins; road struggles with defensive lapses. |
| Hurricanes | 5-4-1 | ~3.2 | ~3.1 | Elite shot volume and home dominance; rebound well after losses. statmuse.com +5 |
Injury Report
Both teams are dealing with key absences, which could slow the pace and emphasize depth players.
Panthers Key Injuries:
Brad Marchand (LW): Day-to-day (undisclosed) – Missed recent games; game-time decision impacts scoring.
Seth Jones (D): IR (upper body) – Out until at least Jan. 31; major defensive loss.
Jonah Gadjovich (LW): IR (undisclosed) – Out until Feb. 26; depth forward sidelined.
Cole Schwindt (C): IR (undisclosed) – Out until Jan. 17; minimal impact.
Matthew Tkachuk (LW): Day-to-day/IR-NR (groin/sports hernia) – Practicing but questionable; star forward’s return looms.
Hurricanes Key Injuries:
Charles-Alexis Legault (D): Out (hand) – Extended absence hurts blue-line depth.
Jaccob Slavin (D): Day-to-day (undisclosed) – Key defender uncertain after recent return.
William Carrier (LW): Day-to-day (lower body/illness) – Game-time decision; adds physicality.
Shayne Gostisbehere (D): Day-to-day (illness) – Power-play specialist questionable.
With Tkachuk and Marchand potentially limited, Florida relies on Sam Reinhart; Carolina’s blue line could be thin without Slavin and Legault.
Key
Player Matchups
Injuries shift focus to available stars in this defensive-minded matchup:
Sam Reinhart (Panthers C) vs. Sebastian Aho (Hurricanes C): Reinhart’s scoring (0.55 GPG, high point probability) faces Aho’s playmaking. Reinhart’s recent multi-point games could exploit Carolina’s blue-line injuries.
Anton Lundell (Panthers C) vs. Andrei Svechnikov (Hurricanes RW): Lundell’s two-way play (recent go-ahead goals) vs. Svechnikov’s shots (~2.8 per game). Svechnikov’s physicality could test Florida’s depth.
Sergei Bobrovsky (Panthers G) vs. Frederik Andersen (Hurricanes G): Bobrovsky (.913 SV%) in a bounce-back spot vs. Andersen (.914 SV%). Andersen’s edge at home could be key against Florida’s shots.
Bench Battle: Carter Verhaeghe/Panthers reserves vs. Seth Jarvis/Hurricanes depth: Verhaeghe’s assists vs. Jarvis’ goals (~21 this season). Carolina’s possession could wear down Florida’s injured lineup.
Series History
The Hurricanes lead the all-time series 74-61-11-3 in regular season, with a 40-29-3-3 home edge. However, the Panthers have dominated recently, winning 7 of the last 10 (including 2-0 this season). In playoffs, Florida holds an 8-1 advantage, sweeping Carolina in the 2023 ECF (4-0) and winning in five in 2025. Overs have hit in 6 of the last 10 matchups.
Betting Trends
Puck Line: Hurricanes are 18-29 ATS overall but 9-16 as home favorites. Panthers are 17-28 ATS, 10-9 as road underdogs.
Moneyline: Carolina wins ~80% as favorites; Florida ~45% as underdogs.
Over/Under: Hurricanes games hit over in 29 of 47 (62%); Panthers in 25 of 45 (56%). Recent trends: Overs in 6 of Hurricanes’ last 10; unders in 5 of Panthers’ last 7 road games.
Other Trends: Hurricanes 16-9 ATS at home; Panthers cover 55% after wins. Carolina 7-3 ATS vs. Atlantic teams; overs in 60% of recent head-to-heads.
Game Odds
Florida Panthers 5.5
Carolina Hurricanes – 162
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Thursday, January 15, 2026
