Ottawa Senators @ Florida Panthers - February 8, 2025

The stage is set for an exciting clash between the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers this Saturday at Amerant Bank Arena, with divisional bragging rights on the line. Oddsmakers have opened the Panthers as -156 moneyline favorites, while the total for the game sits at 6.5.

Let’s break down what we can expect from this matchup based on recent performances and statistical insights. The Panthers are coming off a hard-fought 3-2 victory against the Blues, which was a testament to their ability to grind out wins even when not firing on all cylinders offensively. In contrast, Ottawa faced a tough loss against Tampa Bay, falling 5-1 in their last outing.

Statistically speaking, Florida boasts an impressive average of 3.3 goals per game alongside a shooting percentage of 10.7%. Their offensive zone presence is strong too, with over 55% of their plays occurring in advantageous positions. This suggests they’re adept at controlling puck possession and creating quality scoring opportunities.

On special teams, Florida’s power play has been effective, converting at a rate of approximately 24.5%. They generate nearly three power play chances per game and score just under one goal during those opportunities—numbers that indicate they capitalize well when given extra man advantages.

Defensively, however, both teams show strengths and weaknesses. The Panthers have an admirable save percentage of about 89.3%, but their penalty kill could use some improvement at just over 79%. Meanwhile, Ottawa has slightly better goaltending stats with a save percentage of around 90.1%, though their penalty kill lags behind Florida’s.

Looking closer at Ottawa’s performance reveals that they average only about 2.9 goals per game with a lower shooting percentage of around 10%. Their offensive zone time is marginally less than Florida’s (50.6%), which indicates potential struggles in generating sustained pressure in front of opposing nets.

Despite being underdogs in this matchup with a record currently sitting at 22-18-3 SU (straight up), Ottawa has shown resilience lately by winning three straight games and covering the spread in four out of their last six contests overall.

Given these statistics and trends leading into Saturday’s game, I predict that while Florida will emerge victorious due to their higher offensive output and home advantage—Ottawa will likely cover the spread considering their current form and ability to compete closely despite statistical disparities.

As for the total points scored? I lean towards it being under six-and-a-half based on both teams’ recent tendencies; Ottawa’s games have trended towards lower-scoring affairs lately while Florida often finds themselves grinding through tight contests as well.

In summary: Expect a win for Florida but anticipate that Ottawa will keep it close enough to cover the spread—and perhaps look for fewer goals than expected overall!