The Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning meet for Game 4 of Eastern Conference Semifinals Monday at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. Tampa Bay holds a 3-0 series lead. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (TNT). Below, we look at the Panthers vs. Lightning Game 4 odds and lines, and make our expert NHL picks, predictions and bets.
The Panthers might have secured the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and won the Presidents’ Trophy with a franchise-best 122 points, but the Lightning don’t care. Florida has been held to just 3 total goals across 3 losses, and now faces the possibility of being swept.
The Lightning are the 2-time defending champs and have looked the part in the Semifinals. Tampa Bay has outscored Florida 11-3 in this series, and it is 1 win away from a return trip to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Panthers at Lightning odds and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 6:57 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Panthers +102 (bet $100 to win $102) | Lightning -125 (bet $125 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Panthers +1.5 (-250) | Lightning -1.5 (+180)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -105 | U: -120)
Panthers at Lightning projected goalies
Sergei Bobrovsky (4-5-0, 2.88 GAA, .906 SV% – postseason) vs. Andrei Vasilevskiy (7-3-0, 2.44 GAA, .922 SV% – postseason)
Bobrovsky has not been terrible in this series, but he has received next to no offensive help. Three goals of support in 3 games wouldn’t be enough for Patrick Roy or Martin Brodeur.
Vasilevskiy started the postseason with 3 losses in his first 5 starts but he has rattled off 5 straight wins since Game 6 of the Toronto Maple Leafs series. He is 3-0-0 with a 1.00 GAA and .971 SV% in three starts vs. Florida.
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Panthers at Lightning picks and predictions
Prediction
Lightning 4, Panthers 2
Money line
The LIGHTNING (-125) are slight favorites in this potential series-clinching victory. The last win is usually the hardest one to get, and the Panthers are a prideful bunch. It’s not how Florida wanted its season to end and you can expect the Cats to play their best game of the series — it still won’t be enough.
Against the spread
The LIGHTNING -1.5 (+180) are going to take a punch from the Panthers, and this one will go down to the very end. However, expect Tampa to salt the game and the series away with a late empty-net goal, covering the puck line.
Over/Under
UNDER 6.5 (-120) is the lean here, mainly due to the shortcomings of the Florida offense so far in this series. The Panthers are averaging 1.0 GPG, and that has helped the Under go a perfect 3-for-3 so far.
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