Published Mar 25, 4:47am ET by
Alex Dudley - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Mar 25, 4:47am ET
Credit: Shutterstock
Updated Mar 25, 4:47am ET
Time is running out for the Stanley Cup champions, and the Florida Panthers face a must-win clash with the Minnesota Wild on March 26 to salvage their playoff aspirations.
The Panthers sit seventh in the Pacific Division, and they are facing a huge challenge to secure a playoff berth. Meanwhile, the Wild are close to securing their spot in the post-season, despite losing their latest game.
The Florida Panthers have been the dominant team in the NHL for the last two years, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups. However, they look set to miss out on the post-season this year after accumulating an overall record of 33-31-3 to sit seventh in the Pacific Division.
The Panthers will need a dominant end to the season to make the playoffs, but their lack of consistency remains an issue after winning and losing on five occasions across their last ten.
Florida landed a 5-4 shootout success in their latest outing, beating the Seattle Kraken. Noah Gregor, Eetu Luostarinen, and Carter Verhaeghe scored the goals.
Confidence within the Minnesota Wild camp is likely to be high, as they sit third in the Central Division.
This season, they will be aiming to snap a poor post-season record, as they have failed to make it further than the first-round in the playoffs since 2014-15. Minnesota will need to bounce back following a recent defeat against the Tampa Bay Lightning, with that loss meaning that they have now allowed 12 goals in their last four games.
John Hynes’ team have been effective on their travels this term, going 20-9-4 away from the Grand Casino Arena.
| TOTAL | Panthers | Wild | DRAWS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reguation WINS | 36 | 14 | 21 | - |
| GOALS | 203 | 88 | 115 |
The Wild have been effective on the road this season, and they have won 56% of their away games against the Panthers. Therefore, the win for the traveling team is preferred on Thursday.
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Pick
Minnesota Wild
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