Florida Panthers vs Anaheim Ducks Picks and Predictions for Sunday October 4 2026
The Florida Panthers visit the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center in Anaheim, California, on Sunday, October 4, 2026. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 PM ET. Florida enters at 1-0-1, while Anaheim is 1-0 after an impressive season-opening road victory against Vegas.
The Panthers’ most recent game was a wild 4-3 overtime loss in San Jose. Florida fell behind 3-0 before scoring three unanswered goals to force overtime, only to surrender the winner. Anaheim also played a 4-3 game Friday, but the Ducks were the team protecting the lead after jumping ahead of Vegas 4-0.
Be sure to check out our free NHL picks for more NHL predictions throughout the season.
Florida Shows Fight in San Jose
Florida didn’t get the result it wanted against San Jose, but the comeback deserves attention. The Panthers trailed 3-0 before scoring three times to force overtime and secure a standings point.
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There were positives and negatives in that performance. Falling three goals behind is obviously concerning, but responding rather than folding showed Florida still possesses plenty of offensive punch.
Through two games, the Panthers have already played enough meaningful hockey to begin identifying trends, although the sample remains extremely small. Sunday’s challenge is avoiding another poor start against an Anaheim team that showed Friday exactly how dangerous it can be during the opening stages.
Anaheim Surprises Vegas
Anaheim opened its season with an impressive 4-3 road victory over Vegas. More importantly, the Ducks built a 4-0 advantage before Vegas mounted a third-period comeback.
The finish wasn’t ideal. Anaheim allowed three unanswered goals and had to withstand substantial late pressure. Still, going into Vegas and leaving with two points is an excellent opening result.
The Ducks now return home with an opportunity to begin 2-0. Their challenge is dealing with a Florida team that already proved against San Jose that a multi-goal deficit doesn’t necessarily put it away.
Florida Panthers vs Anaheim Ducks Picks and Predictions
Pick: Florida Panthers Moneyline
Anaheim deserves respect after its opening victory, but I like Florida to respond here. The Panthers showed resilience in erasing a 3-0 deficit against San Jose, and they enter Sunday with two games already under their belt. Anaheim’s opening win was impressive, but surrendering three straight after building a four-goal advantage is something Florida’s offense can exploit if the Ducks lose structure again. I’ll back Florida on the moneyline.
Pick: Over 6.5 Goals
Both teams’ most recent games finished 4-3, and there were stretches in each where defensive control disappeared. Florida allowed the first three goals against San Jose before scoring three straight, while Anaheim jumped ahead 4-0 before Vegas answered with three. That volatility makes the over appealing. With both teams already showing the ability to generate offense and surrender momentum, I’ll take over 6.5.
Final Picks: Florida Panthers Moneyline and Over 6.5 Goals
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