Florida Panthers vs Calgary Flames Picks and Predictions November 28th 2025

Game Preview: Calgary Flames @ Florida Panthers

Both teams enter Friday’s afternoon matchup searching for a rebound as the Calgary Flames continue their road trip against the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena. Calgary fell behind early in Tampa Bay and never recovered during a 5-1 loss, a frustrating showing after a solid effort in their road opener. Florida suffered a similar fate at home, watching a 2-0 lead evaporate in a 4-2 loss to the Flyers despite controlling the early tempo. This matchup sits prominently among the day’s slate within the NHL previews portal, featuring two clubs motivated to correct midweek lapses.

Calgary’s start in Tampa unraveled in just over 10 minutes, as the Lightning scored three times on four shots, chasing Dustin Wolf from the crease after only 5:52. Backup Devin Cooley delivered strong relief work, and coach Ryan Huska now faces a goaltending decision entering Friday. Florida, meanwhile, failed to match the Flyers’ speed after the first period, and coach Paul Maurice cited execution issues with loose pucks and retrievals. With both clubs entering this game on short rest, energy and structure will matter early.

Odds and Key Information

Florida opened around -192 on the moneyline, reflecting their superior record and home ice, while Calgary sits near +161. The Panthers’ strong offensive metrics and physical profile have influenced early bettors, though Calgary’s shot-generation rates create interest from value players. The puckline stands at Florida -1.5 (+132), and the total is set at 5.5, with market activity leaning slightly toward the over.

For context on how these teams compare leaguewide, bettors viewing the NHL team index will find Florida’s partial injury losses impacting offensive consistency, while Calgary’s shot volume ranks among the highest in the league. The matchup should trend toward open-ice exchanges, particularly if the Flames push play at 5-on-5.

Calgary Flames Outlook

Calgary’s narrow loss to Tampa Bay masks some positive trends, especially in shot generation. The Flames produced 33 shots to the Lightning’s 23, creating enough offensive pressure that could translate well against an injury-depleted Florida roster. Mikael Backlund’s acknowledgment of Tampa Bay’s aggressive start reinforces the need for Calgary to control first-period tempo — an area where they’ve struggled on the road.

Joel Farabee’s goal highlighted Calgary’s ability to capitalize when sustaining possession. Nazem Kadri remains a key engine at center with 18 points, while Rasmus Andersson anchors the blue line with strong defensive metrics, including 47 blocks. Calgary ranks third leaguewide in shots on goal and fifth in hits, signaling physical engagement and volume attack as their best competitive advantages.

Dustin Wolf, despite his short outing Wednesday, remains the Flames’ top option in net. His workload and rebound control often stabilize Calgary’s defensive structure. However, Cooley’s strong relief performance — and his 1.86 goals-against average and .930 save percentage — may earn him consideration. Updates on availability, including missing forwards Samuel Honzek and Martin Pospisil, appear on the Flames injury report.

Given Calgary’s strong shot-share profile, their path to an upset often resides in volume offense, forechecking activity and early goaltending steadiness.

Florida Panthers Outlook

Florida’s 12-10-1 record reflects both championship pedigree and injury disruption. The Panthers have kept pace in the Eastern Atlantic Division despite missing key contributors such as Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk. Even with these absences, Florida’s 71 goals rank 11th in the league, and their forechecking physicality — measuring third in hits — continues to create valuable pressure. These traits are detailed throughout the NHL scores and odds page, where Florida often profiles as a high-event team.

Brad Marchand’s 14th goal Wednesday gave him 26 points in 22 games, underscoring his impactful role since joining the Panthers. Florida’s defensive issues stem from occasional lapses in puck retrieval, which Maurice specifically highlighted in the loss to Philadelphia. If the Panthers reestablish speed and structure in transition, their home-ice advantage becomes critical.

Sergei Bobrovsky is projected to start, entering with 352 saves and strong underlying metrics. Florida’s defense, despite missing Dmitry Kulikov and other contributors listed on the Panthers injury report, has maintained competitive metrics in shot suppression.

With upcoming home games, the Panthers must stabilize defensive consistency to avoid slipping in the Eastern race. Their offense, led by Marchand and Sam Reinhart, remains potent enough to create mismatches against aggressive teams like Calgary.

Key Matchup Table

Category	Calgary Flames	Florida Panthers
Record	8-14-3	12-10-1
Shot Production	3rd in NHL shots on goal	Strong forecheck; 11th in goals
Physicality	5th in hits	3rd in hits
Key Scorers	Kadri 18 pts; Andersson defensive anchor	Marchand 26 pts; Reinhart 21 pts
Goaltending	Wolf/Cooley decision pending	Bobrovsky stabilizing play
Injury Concerns	Multiple forwards out	Missing Barkov, Nosek, Tkachuk

Betting Trends

Calgary has trended over in three straight games due to defensive lapses and high shot volume. Their puckline record has shown competitiveness, covering in six of their last ten. Florida has also hit the over in three straight and has been strong as an underdog in selective spots. Bettors evaluating power-play and pace dynamics through the NHL picks page will see that both teams produce scoring bursts despite roster challenges.

Florida remains more reliable at home due to structure and goaltending. Calgary’s 5-on-5 metrics signal potential value as an underdog, but defensive breakdowns elevate variance.

The Lean

Florida’s offensive steadiness and overall roster depth give the Panthers the edge, particularly with home-ice advantage and Bobrovsky likely in net. Calgary’s physicality and shot volume offer upset potential, but Florida’s scoring depth and transition play tilt the matchup toward the Panthers in most projections.

Projected Score: Florida 4, Calgary 2
Best Moneyline Pick: Panthers ML
Total Lean: Over 5.5

Situational breakdowns across similar matchups in the NHL previews hub echo the expectation that Florida’s ability to maintain possession and generate sustained offensive pressure should define Friday’s game.

Why You Need Expert Picks

With both teams attempting to rebound after poor defensive showings, bettors often turn to the Handicappers Leaderboard to track which analysts excel in evaluating variance-heavy matchups. Experts factor injury timing, goaltending projections and pace trends—critical components in games with fluctuating totals.

Further strategic tools in the expert betting guide help bettors interpret line movement, evaluate matchup leverage and identify value in puckline and total markets.