Florida Panthers vs. Utah Hockey Club 1/8/25 – Delta Center will provide the canvas for an exciting NHL spectacle as the Florida Panthers take on the Utah Hockey Club on Wednesday. With a record of 24-15-2, the Panthers are looking to bounce back after inconsistent results whereas the Utah series record stands at 17-15-7, and are keen to make up for the deficit in their home results to improve their position in the tolerances. Given both sides need to improve their chances of making the playoffs, this match is set to be filled with breathtaking hockey.
Florida Panthers vs. Utah Hockey Club 1/8/25
When: Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at 10:00 PM ET
Where: Delta Center
TV: TNT
Stream: NHL.TV
Florida Panthers vs. Utah Hockey Club 1/8/25 Betting Odds:
| Team | PUCKLINE | TOTAL | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers | -1 (+188) | Over 7.5 (+245) | -128 |  |
| Utah | +1 (-182) | Under 7.5 (-400) | +104 | |
| ||||
In Salt Lake City for the first time!#TimeToHunt pic.twitter.com/R8DGlWVoRc
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) January 8, 2025
As it stands, the betting scenario presents exciting possibilities. The Panthers are the more modest favorites on the moneyline at -128 which may credit them to their impeccable record. Their puckline at -1 suggests their expectation on winning is greater than a goal and the huge +245 on the over suggest that the oddsmakers do not expect a high scoring game, which coincides with the recent trend of both teams going under.
Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky vs. Goaltender Karel Vejmelka
Sergei Bobrovsky is still the starting goalie for the Panthers and his performance last year, approximately 27 matches including playoffs, placed him at a .901 save percentage which means he is still a reliable player but is not in the greatest shape of his life. Clearly, Bobo’s ability to perform under pressure will be greatly needed today as the offense Utah tends to be a bit inconsistent.
Different is the case with Karel Vejmelka playing in goal for Utah as he gives away marginally fewer goals in his 24 appearances having a this season’s improved save percentage of .914. Given that Sam Reinhart and Matthew Tkachuk are part of the Panthers team, this means Karel will have his hands full.
When you have two capable goaltenders who have the ability to save in great moments of the match you are bound to get a defensive match in return. Make no mistake, because of these two goaltenders playing so well, the score isn’t going to be high due to the number of shots saved today.
Panthers Prowess: Key Stats and Recent Form
The Panthers are coming off a mixed bag of results, including a tough 1-3 loss to Colorado just two days prior. However, their narrow 3-2 victory against Pittsburgh shows they can pull through in tight games. The offensive leadership from Sam Reinhart, who has tallied 46 points in 41 games, is crucial, but the team needs more consistency from their defense to match their scoring prowess.
Utah’s Battle Back: Analyzing Team Performance
Utah’s recent home game results, including a 2-3 loss to Dallas, underscore their struggles on home ice. Yet, their 5-3 victory against Calgary hints at potential. With Clayton Keller and Dylan Guenther providing the spark, Utah needs to leverage their home crowd energy better to fend off the Panthers’ attack and snap their poor home game streak.
Trends
Florida Panthers Betting Trends
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Florida’s last 8 games.
Florida are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games.
Florida are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games against Utah.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Florida’s last 7 games on the road.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Florida’s last 6 games when playing on the road against Utah.
Utah Hockey Club Betting Trends
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Utah’s last 9 games.
Utah are 1-6 SU in their last 7 games.
Utah are 1-8 SU in their last 9 games at home.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Utah’s last 6 games when playing at home against Florida.
Utah are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games against an opponent in the Eastern Conference conference.
Florida Panthers vs. Utah Hockey Club Betting Prediction
Taking into account the performances of both goalkeepers and the recent trends in betting, the under appears to be a good option, especially at that high line of 7.5. Both rounded ensembles have failed to provide scoring stats that would be appealing to skyhigh numbers recently. Also, the Panthers may have the edge but at home, Utah might be an interesting underdog bet because of their strength against Eastern teams.
The Utah Hockey Club on the moneyline at +104 is the most likely pick here. Their record against Eastern teams alongside their recent performance should be good enough to clinch a win at home. As for the overall margin, the recent forms of both teams advise that the under 7.5 strategy be adhered to. The form of the goalkeepers might allow for the possibility of prop bets on saves being higher than usual as common sense suggests.
Score Prediction: Utah Hockey Club 3, Panthers 2.
