Previewing Thursday’s Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers Game 3 odds and lines, with hockey picks, tips and predictions.
The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Florida Panthers in Game 3 of their Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round series Thursday. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET at Amalie Arena in Tampa. Below, we analyze the Panthers-Lightning odds and lines, with NHL picks and predictions.
The Panthers are looking to find the win column for the first time in this series. They had home-ice advantage, but lost it in a seesaw battle in Game 1. After that 5-4 loss, they were dropped 3-1 in a better effort in Game 2.
The Lightning have won six of their past seven games as a favorite in the playoffs, and they’re 42-16 in the previous 58 games at home overall. It’s a tough spot for the Panthers, as they look to climb back into the series.
Panthers at Lightning: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:20 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Panthers +120 (bet $100 to win $120) | Lightning -145 (bet $145 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Panthers +1.5 (-200) | Lightning -1.5 (+170)
- Over/Under: 5.5 (O: -120 | U: +100)
Panthers at Lightning: Projected starting goalies
Sergei Bobrovsky (19-8-2, 2.91 GAA, .906 SV%) vs. Andrei Vasilevskiy (31-10-1, 2.21 GAA, .925 SV%, 5 SO)
Bobrovsky was bounced around for five goals on 40 shots in Game 1. The Panthers are paying him a lot of money, and they figure to lean upon him. However, if he struggles again, look for him to have a rather short leash.
Vasilevskiy has had no such issues in this series, especially in Game 2 when he turned aside 32 of 33 shots. He was 18-2-0 with a stellar 1.75 GAA and .936 SV% with three shutouts in 20 starts at home.
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Panthers at Lightning: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Lightning 4, Panthers 2
The LIGHTNING (-145) are looking to take a commanding 3-0 series lead, and there is no reason to bet against them. Tampa Bay has Vasilevskiy in the pipes, and he has been untouchable in the crease at home. Florida looks a tad inexperienced and uneven, while the champs look like the champs.
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The LIGHTNING -1.5 (+170) are worth a roll of the dice on the puck line at home – but go lightly. The Panthers +1.5 (-200) are sure to play with desperation, but in the end in the Lightning will prevail. A late empty-net goal is likely to be the difference.
OVER 5.5 (-120) is the lean here. The Over/Under split in the first two games, but there is a lot of offensive firepower on both sides, and we should see an uptick in goals similar to Game 1.
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