New York Rangers and Florida Panthers will play in the first game of the NFL Conference Final. The Panthers are by far the favorites to bag a victory. They are appearing at this stage for the second consecutive time, while New York is entering the Eastern Conference Final for the third time in the last four events. Yet, Florida is a step ahead in claiming the winning spot.
They have roughly a 51% chance to win, while the opponent has a 49% chance.
Florida is coming off a victory against the Bruins. The six-game series ended with a tally of 4-2 in their favor. The Panthers were able to seal the series with a 2-1 win, both goals coming in the last 2 sessions. Boston did score an opener for a lead, but they could not defend the attack. Hence, Florida gained a larger advantage.
Anton and Gustav scored one goal each. The management could put them back on the front lines. If so, the Panthers will only strengthen their attack against the Rangers. In any case, New York expects this to happen. Meaning, they could craft a strategy simply to suit the upcoming NHL event. Speculation aside, hockey betting sites have odds favoring Florida based on its recent performance. Anton was a star in Game 4 as well.
As teams across the league show varying levels of form, standout performances are shaping early season expectations. For example, Brad Marchand secures a hat trick to help Bruins defeat Jackets, demonstrating the impact key players can have in tight matchups. Such individual brilliance could be a deciding factor in the upcoming game between the New York Rangers and Florida Panthers.
Boston had a decent 2-goal lead right from the beginning. What brought the Panthers back on track was the one-sided opener in the second session, followed by a double attack in the last session. It is only safe to assume that Florida first tested their defense, then went hard on the attack to seal the session in their favor.
It remains to be seen if New York will capitalize on this. There is a window of opportunity to score instead of waiting for the clock to reach the final seconds.
The team will have to abandon its strategy of taking the game to the last seconds. They did this against Carolina by letting three nets slide in the first two sessions. In the third session, they scored four goals. Chris Krieder scored three of the five goals put at the back.
That may not happen again if Florida decides not to let the defensive stretch lose. Predictions favor them only by a slight margin. There is a scope for New York to address the image of being an underdog. They could go aggressive from the first whistle, then put the force on the defensive line-up. That case would not allow Florida to test its long-term decisions.
Overall, the NHL Conference Final between the Florida Panthers and the New York Rangers is going to be interesting, despite the fact one of them emerged as favorites. The hockey match will happen on May 22, 2024, at 8 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden, New York. ESPN and Sportsnet will wire the broadcast.
