Lightning the Home Dog as Panthers Go For the Kill
The Panthers vs Lightning Preview Has Visiting Florida Favored as Panthers Go For First-Round Sweep
Florida Looks To Seal The Deal By Sweeping the Rival Lightning on the Road
Tampa Bay looked to be in a good position to get back into the series with the rival Florida Panthers with a one-goal lead in the second period before it all unraveled. Now the Panthers vs Lightning preview have visiting Florida as the road favorite.
Tampa Bay needs to win Game 4 to avoid being swept in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for just the third time while those who jumped on the +800 odds for Florida to sweep before the series started will be keeping tabs on Saturday’s showdown.
Tampa Bay has won both of its previous playoff series against Florida and was 4-1 at home in the 2021 and 2022 matchups. The NHL odds have gone from -800 to -4500 for the Panthers to win the series after Game 3.
The NHL betting lines have Florida at -125 to finish off the Lightning and sweep the series with +200 odds to cover against the puck line at -1½. Tampa Bay is at +105 to win Game 4 outright.
When looking at the NHL Stanley Cup odds, the Panthers are tied for first at +450 in the odds of winning the Stanley Cup. The Lightning’s championship odds have gone from +7000 to +15000 after the loss in Game 3.
Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning 
Day/Time:
Location: Amalie Arena, Tampa, FL
Streaming: TBS
Bobrovsky Stealing the Show
Sergei Bobrovsky has had mixed results in past Stanley Cup playoffs as he had a goals-against average over 3.00 in seven of the first playoffs he was a part of.
It has been a different story this season. Bobrovsky has a career-best 2.30 goals-against average through the first three games of the series. Bobrovsky has stopped 64 of 71 shots in the first three games. None were more impressive than the one on defenseman Matt Dumba in Game 3.
Bobrovsky allowed four goals on 15 shots on the final game of the regular season in his final game of the regular season against Tampa Bay and that gave the Lightning hopes of pulling off the upset. He will be a key figure yet again in the Panthers vs Lightning preview.
Florida is 10-0 in its last 10 postseason overtime games.
Go With the Stars To Come Through
While teams hope to get scoring from all four lines in the playoffs, there are times when the star players need to come through.
The focus will be on the Tampa Bay duo of Nikita Kucherov, who led the NHL stats with 144 points, during the regular season, and Steven Stamkos. Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk is always a threat to score come playoff time and that could factor into the Panthers vs Lightning preview.
Take a look at the +160 odds for Tkachuk to score in Game 4. Tampa’s Steven Stamkos offers good value at +145 to be an anytime goal scorer.
The teams are 77-41-5 against the puck line as the favorites this season compared to a 17-27-9 record as underdogs.
Panthers vs Lightning Injury Update
Forwards Sam Bennett and Ryan Lomberg missed the Game 3 for Florida.
Defensemen Mikhail Sergachev and Haydn Fleury as well as forward Logan Brown are out for the Lightning.
Panthers vs Lightning Betting Preview
The teams combined for 121 hits in Game 2 and topped that with 123 hits as the series moved to Tampa. However, that did not result in more power plays. The Panthers didn’t have a power play in Game 3 with Tampa Bay going 0-for-4 with the man advantage. Bobrovsky had to make just four saves on the four power plays for the Lightning and that is not a recipe for success for the Lightning.
Tampa Bay led the NHL by converting on 28.6% of its power plays in the regular season but the Lightning is just 2-for-12 on the power play in this series.
The last two times that the Panthers played on the road against the Lightning, Florida has scored 14 goals while allowing five goals. Will it be open season on the two goalies once again in Game 4?
Florida has one of the best marks against the spread on the road, covering in 28 of 42 road games. Meanwhile, just 15 of the Panthers’ 42 road games went over the total while 23 of Tampa Bay’s home games went over.
The total has gone under in seven of the last nine games for the Panthers.
Nine of the last 10 times that Florida played in Tampa, the game went under the total.
Each of the last eight playoff games between the Panthers and the Lightning had gone under the total before the red light went on with more frequency in an entertaining Game 3. Tampa Bay will need to take chances to extend the series and that could open things up in Saturday’s matchup.
When making NHL picks today, keep in mind that Tampa Bay is 6-4 in its last nine home games while Florida has won just three of its last eight games on the road. Look for the Lightning to find a way to pick up its first win of the series.
For NHL betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
