Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning: Game preview, predictions, odds and betting tips for 2024 NHL playoffs Game 3 | April 25th, 2024

The Florida Panthers will play the Tampa Bay Lightning in the third game of the NHL Playoffs East 1st Round.

The game is scheduled for Thursday, 7 p.m. ET at the Amalie Arena in Tampa and will be broadcast on TBS, MAX, SN, TVAS2, BSSUN, BSFL and BSFLX.

The Panthers lead the series 2-0, having won the last game in overtime, 3-2. They have won six out of their previous 10 games against the Lightning.

Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning: Game preview

Florida Panthers are 52-24-6 overall and 19-5-4 in Atlantic Division games. They are 18-7-4 in one-goal games, averaging 3.00 goals per game. They are allowing 2.00 in this playoff series.

Despite the tight games, The Panthers hold a 2-0 lead. Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk lead the top line with three goals and three assists each. The remaining offense, including Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart and Aleksander Barkov, has also performed well.

Defensemen Gustav Forsling, Aaron Ekblad and Oliver Ekman-Larsson each provided three assists in the series against the Lightning.

In the net, Sergei Bobrovsky significantly impacted during Game 2, saving 38 of the 42 shots, with a 1.95 goals-against average and .905 save percentage.

Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning, with a record of 12-10-6 against the Atlantic Division and 45-29-8 overall, are 43-6-4 when they score three or more goals.

In this playoff series, they have a GFA of 2.00 and a GAA of 3.00 goals per game. They have scored only two goals in each of the first two games.

Despite losing the first game 3-2 and the last 3-2 in overtime, Tampa Bay tied up the game in the second half after falling behind 2-0 in the first period.

Anthony Duclair performed well with four shots on goal and an assist, while Steven Stamkos and Brayden Point scored a goal each. Andrei Vasilevskiy, with a GAA of 2.49 and an SV% of .922, saved 34 of the 37 shots he faced.

Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning: Injury report

Hayden Fleury is listed as day-to-day due to an upper-body injury for the Lightning. Jonas Johansson and Mikhail Sergachev are out with lower body injuries.

On the Panthers' side, Sam Bennett is day-to-day with an upper body injury and Ryan Lomberg is also day-to-day due to illness.

Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning: Head-to-head and significant numbers

Tampa Bay holds an all-time playoff record of 8-4-0 against the Panthers.

In the current playoff series, the Panthers have outperformed the Lightning in faceoffs, winning 55.4% compared to the Lightning's 44.6%.

Regarding penalty kills, the Panthers have a success rate of 75.0%, which is higher than the Lightning's success rate of 71.4%.

Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning: Odds and prediction

Tampa Bay has won 30 of its 50 games and is favored by the odds. The team has a 53.7% chance of winning tonight's game. It won 27 of its 44 games when the odds were less than -116.

The Panthers won six victories in the 15 games where they were seen as the underdogs. When the odds put them underdogs of -104 or more, their record stands at 5-9. The Panthers have a 51.0% chance of winning.

Prediction: Lightning 3 - 2 Panthers

Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning: Betting tips

Tip 1: Lightning to win.

Tip 2: Total goals over 4.5: Yes.

Tip 3: Nikita Kucherov to score anytime: Yes.

Tip 4: Brayden Point to score first: Yes.

Tip 5: Panthers to beat the spread: No.