The Florida Panthers and New York Islanders meet Wednesday in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference qualifying round series at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Puck drop is set for noon ET. We analyze the Panthers-Islanders NHL betting odds and lines, with picks and best bets.
Series: Islanders lead 2-0.
Panthers vs. Islanders: Projected starting goalies
Sergei Bobrovsky vs. Thomas Greiss
Bobrovsky looks to help the Cats avoid the broom in Game 3. While his numbers in this series have been a tick better than his regular-season stats, it takes a red-hot goaltender to go far in the postseason and so far he has only been tepid at best. Bobrovsky is 0-2-0 with a 3.09 goals against average and .903 save percentage so far against the Islanders.
Semyon Varlamov has won twice in this series, posting a 1.50 GAA and .946 SV%. With a quick turnaround and a commanding lead in the best-of-five series, Greiss is projected to make his first appearance in these playoffs. Perhaps if this game were later in the day it would again be Varlamov, but a noon time start likely means the backup.
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Panthers vs. Islanders: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated Wednesday at 6 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Islanders 3, Panthers 2
Moneyline (ML)
The ISLANDERS (-125) look to advance to the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals with a victory. The Panthers (+105) never held the lead in Game 1, but they actually had leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in Game 2 before faltering in the second half of the game. They have yet to play a full 60 minutes, and the experience of the Islanders from last year’s postseason, and the leadership of head coach Barry Trotz is the difference here.
New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Panthers to win on the moneyline nets a profit of $8.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
Putting a team away in the postseason is one of the most difficult things to do in hockey, and you can expect the Panthers to give it their all Wednesday afternoon. This will be a tight, one-goal game, so while the Islanders (-1.5, +230) look awfully tempting, AVOID the puck line in this elimination game.
Over/Under (O/U)
UNDER 5.5 (-162) will cost you a pretty penny, but it’s a sound play considering the checking will be quite tight and the scoring chances will be fewer and farther between. The Under is 12-3-2 in the previous 17 meetings between these teams, and Wednesday’s matinee will be no different.
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