The Florida Panthers will head down the Interstate-5 freeway to Orange County, where they will face the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center. We're here to share our NHL odds series, make a Panthers-Ducks prediction, and pick while showing you how to watch.

The Panthers lost 2-1 to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday at Crypto. Initially, they trailed 1-0 after the first period and 2-0 going into the third. But the Panthers broke through in the third period, and Sam Reinhart got a goal to cut the deficit to one. Unfortunately, they could not tie the game, falling to the Kings in the end. Sergei Bobrovsky saved 24 of 26 shots. Overall, the Panthers won 46 percent of their faceoffs while also firing 31 shots. The Panthers struggled on special teams, going 0 for  5 on the powerplay and 1 for 2 on the penalty kill. Likewise, the Panthers leveled 29 hits and blocked 16 shots. Matthew Tkachuk failed to get on the scoresheet while firing six shots.

The Ducks lost 8-2 to the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday. Sadly, they suffered a barrage of shots early in the game. It was 2-1 Avs, thanks to a goal by Radko Gudas. Later, it was 3-1 going into the third period. But the Ducks lost all their feathers in the third period, completely unraveling, allowing five goals. Ultimately, Lukas Dostal did his best but allowed eight goals on 38 shots. The Ducks won 55 percent of their faceoffs but could not gain any momentum or gain possession. Also, they only took 17 shots. The Ducks went 0 for 4 on the powerplay and 3 for 4 on the penalty kill. Additionally, the Ducks laid 26 hits but only blocked six shots. Troy Terry, Leo Carlsson, Frank Vatrano, and Mason McTavish all generated a plus/minus of -2.

The Panthers swept the season series in 2022-2023. Furthermore, the Cats have won six in a row and are 7-3 over 10 games against the Ducks. The Panthers are also 5-4-1 in the past 10 games at Honda Center.

Here are the NHL Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NHL Odds: Panthers-Ducks Odds

Florida Panthers: -1.5 (+126)

Anaheim Ducks:  +1.5 (-152)

Over: 6.5 (-134)

Under: 6.5 (+110)

How to Watch Panthers vs. Ducks

Time: 10:10 PM ET/7:10 PM PT

TV: ESPN+, Bally Sports Florida and Bally Sports West

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Panthers Will Cover The Spread

The Panthers have an explosive offense that can strike at any time. Regardless, they are only 16th in goals and 25th in shooting percentage. The Panthers are also only 23rd on the powerplay.

Reinhart has 13 goals and 11 assists. However, he has struggled in the faceoff circle, winning 42 draws and losing 60. Tkachuk has three goals and 14 assists. Yet, he has not converted on the powerplay yet. Aleksander Barkov has six goals and 11 assists. Meanwhile, Ecan Rodrigues has three goals and 10 assists.

The Panthers have been slightly better on defense, ranking 10th in goals allowed. However, they struggle on the penalty kill, ranking 24th. The defense must play well in front of backup goalie Anthony Stolarz, who is 2-1 with a 2.72 goals-against average and a save percentage of .892. He has taken on the role of backup goalie, with Spencer Knight in the AHL.

The Panthers will cover the spread if they can strike early and get some scoring opportunities. Then, they cannot take penalties.

Why The Ducks Will Cover The Spread

The Ducks are 9-7 and surprising everyone with their hot start. Now, they hope to bounce back from a humiliating loss on Wednesday. The Ducks rank 18th in goals and 13th in shooting percentage. Also, they are 19th on the powerplay.

Vatrano has 11 goals and five assists. Also, he has converted 21.2 percent of his 52 shots into goals. Vatrano has three game-winning goals and one shorthanded goal. Meanwhile, McTavish has seven goals and nine assists, including one powerplay goal and three game-winners on 47 shots. McTavish has been excellent in the faceoff circle, winning 134 draws and losing only 98. Thus, look for him to remain a focal point of the Anaheim offense. Ryan Strome has two goals and 12 assists. Additionally, he has struggled in the faceoff circle, winning 19 draws and losing 33. Terry has five goals and seven assists, including two powerplay markers. Likewise, defenseman Pavel Mintyukov has one goal and nine assists. Mintyukov has also leveled 26 hits and blocked 18 shots.

The Ducks have improved on defense, ranking 17th in goals allowed. Additionally, they are 13th on the penalty kill, which is a steep improvement over last season, where they were dead last. John Gibson will be the man in the net, coming in with a record of 4-4 with a 2.19 goals-against average and a save percentage of .927.

The Ducks will cover the spread if they can retain possession time. Then, they cannot let Tkachuk or Reinhart get any easy shots in.

Final Panthers-Ducks Prediction & Pick

The Ducks are an average team. Conversely, the Panthers are an above-average team playing a backup goalie. Expect the Ducks to keep this close.

Final Panthers-Ducks Prediction & Pick: Anaheim Ducks:  +1.5 (-152)