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The 2025 NHL Playoffs continue Tuesday, May 20, with the Eastern Conference Final getting underway as the Carolina Hurricanes host the defending champion Florida Panthers in Game 1. This is a rematch of the 2022-23 conference finals, in which the Panthers swept the Hurricanes. Carolina enters this series after eliminating the No. 1 seed Washington Capitals in five games, while Florida went up to Toronto and dominated the Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 7 to win the series 4-3.

Here are the best NHL bets for Game 1 between the Panthers and Hurricanes and how bettors can get in on the action through an offer from BetMGM using promo code "CBSSPORTS."

Florida Panthers at Carolina Hurricanes, 8 p.m. ET, TNT

SportsLine Projection Model's top picks

  • Panthers +1.5 (-250)
  • Logan Stankoven Over 1.5 shots on goal (-138)

Florida won two of the three regular-season meetings between these teams, with those victories coming on back-to-back nights at the end of November. The Panthers outscored the Hurricanes 12-3 over those wins, but Carolina got the better of Florida in the final matchup of the season with a 3-1 win. Florida has been solid on the road in these playoffs with four victories in six road games, including wins in Game 5 and Game 7 against Toronto. On the flip side, the Hurricanes have not lost a game at PNC Arena yet this postseason, with a 5-0 mark on home ice.

The model likes Stankoven to put multiple shots on goal as one of its two 5-star recommendations for player props in Game 1. The Carolina center registered just two points in the series against Washington and only took five combined shots. He did get the equalizing goal in Game 1 to set up Carolina's overtime win. The model projects him at 2.4 shots on goal Tuesday. It also likes Brent Burns, Brad Marchand and Gustav Forsling to each go Over 1.5 shots on goal.

Carolina is a -125 favorite (wager $125 to win $100) on the money line in the latest SportsLine consensus odds, while Florida is a +105 (wager $100 to win $105) underdog. The total sits at 5.5, with the Over priced at +110 while the Under comes in at -130. You can find the model's latest projections, along with expert picks for Panthers-Hurricanes Game 1, at SportsLine.

Today's featured promo

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Bonus bets aside from the $50 slip are only issued if the user's first bet loses. Bonus bets expire seven days after they are issued. They cannot be cashed out or withdrawn. If you win a wager using bonus bets, you will receive the winnings but not the stake. You can also see other promos that the other top sportsbooks are offering.