Arizona Coyotes vs Florida Panthers Picks and Predictions January 8th 2025

Panthers need more offense while Utah tries to improve at home

The Florida Panthers aim to reignite their offensive firepower when they visit the Utah Hockey Club in Salt Lake City on Wednesday. This matchup offers both teams a chance to address glaring issues: Florida’s recent scoring drought and Utah’s home-game struggles.

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Panthers’ Scoring Slump

The Florida Panthers, traditionally one of the NHL’s more potent scoring teams, have been surprisingly quiet in recent games. Over their last six contests, Florida has managed just 10 goals. Key players like Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk, and Aleksander Barkov—typically the backbone of the Panthers’ offense—have combined for only two goals and two assists in this span.

This offensive lull has contributed to a disappointing 2-4-0 record over the same stretch. Their most recent outing, a 3-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, underscored these struggles. Despite Carter Verhaeghe’s first-period goal giving Florida an early lead, Colorado surged with three unanswered goals, handing the Panthers their fourth loss in six games.

Still, the Panthers remain resilient on the road, boasting a solid 12-7-1 away record this season. As Verhaeghe remarked, “We’re comfortable playing in these [close] games… unfortunately, we didn’t get the win.”

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Utah Hockey Club: Inconsistencies Persist

The Utah Hockey Club, meanwhile, continues to grapple with inconsistency. Following an eight-game points streak (6-0-2) in December, Utah has managed just one win in their last seven outings (1-4-2). Their most recent game, a 3-2 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars, showcased flashes of promise but also highlighted the team’s struggles to close out games.

Forward Matias Maccelli ended his 12-game scoring drought with both of Utah’s goals in the Dallas matchup, crediting his success to an aggressive mindset and chemistry with new linemates Kevin Stenlund and Alex Kerfoot. “They’re two really smart players, so it’s kind of easy to play with them,” Maccelli said.

Utah’s poor home record (5-7-4) stands in stark contrast to their opponents. With just 14 points from home games, Utah ranks last in the league in this category. However, Wednesday’s contest kicks off a critical seven-game homestand that could allow Utah to reverse their fortunes.

Key Players to Watch

Florida Panthers:

• Carter Verhaeghe: Continues to be a reliable contributor, as shown by his early goal against Colorado.
• Sergei Bobrovsky: Likely to start in net, the veteran goaltender faces the challenge of operating without key defensive support due to injuries.

Utah Hockey Club:

• Matias Maccelli: Fresh off breaking his scoring drought, Maccelli could be pivotal in energizing Utah’s offense.
• Clayton Keller: Leads the team in points (39) and assists (25), and remains a consistent offensive threat.
• Karel Vejmelka: Utah’s go-to goaltender has shown flashes of brilliance but has struggled recently with a 1-3-1 record and a 3.03 goals-against average in his last five starts.

Key Trends

• Florida’s Road Resilience: The Panthers’ 12-7-1 road record indicates they can perform under pressure away from home.
• Utah’s Penalty Kill Strength: Despite their overall struggles, Utah’s penalty-kill unit has been exceptional, allowing just four power-play goals on 41 attempts over the last 14 games.
• Injuries Impacting Florida’s Defense: The absence of defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Niko Mikkola continues to test the Panthers’ depth, potentially exposing vulnerabilities in front of Bobrovsky.

The Stakes

This matchup is a significant test for both teams. For Florida, it’s about breaking their offensive slump and maintaining their strong road form. For Utah, it’s an opportunity to leverage their home ice and regain momentum during a seven-game homestand.

Adding an extra layer of intrigue is the historical context: while this is Florida’s first visit to Salt Lake City and first matchup against the Utah Hockey Club, the Panthers have dominated their predecessor franchise, the Arizona Coyotes, with a 10-2-1 record since 2017.

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Final Thoughts

As the Panthers and the Utah Hockey Club prepare for their first-ever meeting, both teams have clear areas to improve. For Florida, regaining their offensive rhythm is crucial to avoid further setbacks. Utah, on the other hand, needs to turn home ice into an advantage and build on the flashes of brilliance from players like Maccelli and Keller.

Whether it’s Florida’s seasoned road squad or Utah’s hunger for a home resurgence, this game promises to be a compelling clash. Hockey fans can expect a battle between a team striving to rediscover its form and another desperate to stabilize its season.