Panthers vs. Kings Odds
| Panthers Odds | +110 |
| Kings Odds | -132 |
| Over / Under | 6.5 -132 / +108 |
Here's everything you need to know about Panthers vs Kings on Thursday, Nov. 16 — our NHL preview and betting prediction for today.
The Panthers will look to push their winning streak to six games Thursday in an excellent matchup with the Kings. Despite the Panthers' excellent recent play, they are underdogs to a Kings team sitting at 8-3-3.
These sides rank first and sixth respectively in Shots on Goal per 60 and have played most matchups at a rapid pace. Potential high-event games can present value in the prop market, and that's where we are looking Thursday.
Find my betting preview and prediction for Panthers vs Kings below.
Florida Panthers
The Panthers will be thrilled to arrive at the 15-game mark with a record of 10-4-1 in second in the Atlantic Division. Top defenders Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour have not played a single game to this point, but are both on the road trip and nearing their return. Coach Paul Maurice stated that both could potentially play Friday in Anaheim.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson has taken advantage of a change of scenery and played big minutes in their absence. His minutes could plummet when Ekblad/Montour return though, so keep your eyes out on the numbers for him to record under 0.5 points or fewer than 2.5 shots on goal.
The Panthers also received Sam Bennett back in the lineup, and he has regularly been their second-line center the last two seasons. He returned to his role skating alongside Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe. Last season, the trio gave opponents fits with their ability to dominate the walls and create lengthy shifts in the offensive zone.
They generated 4.39 xGA/60 in a large sample of 317.3 minutes in 2022-23, which was the highest mark in the league among any forward unit to play over 200 minutes together. A ton of those chances fell to Bennett, who put up an average of 3.26 Shots on Goal last season.
The Panthers will likely give tonight's start to top netminder Sergei Bobrovsky and offer tomorrow's game in Anaheim to backup Anthony Stolarz. Bobrovsky has followed up his incredible playoff run with strong early form. He owns a +0.4 GSAx and .904 save percentage in 12 appearances this season.
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Los Angeles Kings
Similar to the Panthers, the Kings receiving productive offensive play from three of their forward units. Not only are they productive, but the Kings forwards also help insulate a quality defensive unit.
The Kings have allowed only 25.75 Shots Against per game this season and own the best xGA/60 in the league at 2.52, which should come as no surprise. They have become a defensive powerhouse the last several seasons, and on paper their roster is now improved at this point.
Los Angeles' defensive dominance makes this an interesting matchup, as the Panthers have again generated the most shots in the league. However, the Kings aren't just clogging things up and looking to win coin-flip type games. They have generated the fourth-most Expected Goals themselves this season and are winning with an exciting style of play.
Cam Talbot should get the start for the Kings Thursday. He has been excellent of late and has pushed his save percentage up to .923 in 11 games played, with a +6.3 GSAX.
If the Kings continue to receive quality goaltending, they deserved to be viewed as a cup favorite and are still one of the better buys out there in Stanley Cup markets.
Panthers vs. Kings
Betting Pick & Prediction
This is an excellent matchup which should be priority viewing for hockey fans tonight. Both sides like to play aggressively and create offense off of the rush, and this should lead to a fast pace. Although both teams have been strong defensively, this will be a high event game.
The sides on this matchup look fairly priced, but if I were to bet one of them, Los Angeles at -130 is my preferred option.
There are a few enticing player prop bets on each side though. My favorite is backing Sam Bennett to record over 2.5 Shots on Goal at +100.
Considering all of the skaters in this matchup who have been excellent recently, targeting Bennett might sound a little funky. He has put up zero Shots on Goal in two games since returning, which is miles away from his typical volume. However, he is still skating in a great role alongside Tkachuk and Verhaeghe on a line which is capable of spending lengthy shifts pouring pucks at the net.
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Getting +100 for Bennett to record over 2.5 Shots on Goal is the definition of a buy-low spot. It would be nice to have seen a little more from him prior to this bet, but for the majority of his Panthers career, getting +100 for over 2.5 would be viewed as a complete gift. At times last season, Bennett's shot prop was set at 3.5 and not much better than even money to go over.
The Panthers should not reach to get him back in the lineup considering their record early in the season. If he's back, they think he can play at his usual standard, and I want to buy on his shot prop before it begins to tick closer to standard prices.
Pick: Sam Bennett Over 2.5 Shots on Goal +100
