Both the Jets and Panthers come into tonight's non-conference showdown off a loss, and will be looking to avenge their setbacks in what might be a Stanley Cup Final preview.
We have 24 teams in action tonight, and the 12-game slate involves several intriguing games. The game I'm most interested in takes place in Sunrise, Florida, where the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers host the league-leading Winnipeg Jets.
Winnipeg opened the season on its well-documented 8-0-0 run and arrives with a 15-2-0 mark. Florida, meanwhile, is coming off back-to-back home losses to the New Jersey Devils.
Let's do a deep dive into this potential Stanley Cup Final showdown.
WHY WINNIPEG: The last time the Jets lost they responded with a 6-2 win the very next game. Now they arrive in South Florida after Thursday's loss in Tampa and surely will have a chip on their shoulders, looking to get right back to their winning ways.
WHY FLORIDA: The same chips the Jets are wearing might resemble the ones on the Panthers' sweaters after their consecutive losses to the Devils snapped a seven-game win streak. The Panthers opened the season 1-2, and after losing back-to-back games, their response was a 4-3 win in Boston. So why not the same result tonight?
All betting lines are from Bet365 and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.
THE PICK - PANTHERS -130: Florida went from having one of the best home records in the league to an, eh, 5-3-1, after losing to the Devils in front of its home crowd. Twice. I like the champs tonight, as they're going to avenge the losses by coming out swinging in the first of a back-to-back with the Jets. The teams will meet in Winnipeg on Tuesday, and the last thing the Cats will want is to head into the Jets' arena on a three-game slide. I expect a big game from Matthew Tkachuk, who has tallied 22 career points (9 goals, 13 assists) in 25 career games against Winnipeg.
(Season Record: 3-3-0, Net: +$20, based on $100 units)