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The Tampa Bay Lightning will attempt to prevent a 3-0 hole as they head to Sunrise to play the Florida Panthers in Game 3 of the Best-of-7 First-Round Series. The battle of Florida rages on as we continue our Stanley Cup Playoffs odds series with a Lightning-Panthers Game 3 prediction and pick.
The Panthers defeated the Lightning 2-0 in Game 2 to take a 2-0 lead in their Best-of-7 First-Round Series. Somehow, it was 1-0 until the last few minutes of the game as Nate Schmidt had scored earlier. Sam Bennett finished it off with an empty-net goal.
Here are the Lightning-Panthers Game 3 Stanley Cup Playoffs odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Stanley Cup Playoffs Odds: Lightning-Panthers Game 3 Odds
Tampa Bay Lightning: +1.5 (-225)
Moneyline: +115
Florida Panthers: -1.5 (+180)
Moneyline: -138
Over: 5.5 (-112)
Under: 5.5 (-108)
How To Watch Lightning vs. Panthers Stanley Cup Playoffs
Time: 1 PM ET/10 AM PT
TV: TBS, truTV, Max, and SportsNet
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Lightning Will Cover the Spread/Win
This series has been a nightmare for the Lightning as they have lost their first two games at Amalie Arena. Now, they have the tall task of winning Games 3 and 4 on the road just to even the series. The Bolts must win at least two games on the road, possibly all three, if they want to rally to win this thing.
The Lightning managed just 19 shots on goal. Furthermore, they won 48 percent of the faceoffs and struggled on the power play, going 0 for 5 on the extra-man attack. Not being able to capitalize on that many chances came back to bite them in the end, and the Bolts could not get anything past goalie Sergei Bobrovsky or this tight defense.
Nikita Kucherov had just one shot on goal. Meanwhile, Victor Hedman and Jake Guentzel both failed to register a shot on goal. Brayden Point had three shots on goal, while Branden Hagel had two. Despite all this talent, none of them could generate a goal.
Andrei Vasilevskiy was efficient, making 21 saves and allowing just one goal. Additionally, the defense killed off all three penalties while leveling 38 hits and blocking six shots.
The Lightning will cover the spread if they can get their best players going and find some ways to score. Then, they must replicate the solid defense from its game.
Why the Panthers Will Cover the Spread/Win
The Panthers played a gritty game, which was the opposite of their performance in Game 1. Overall, it was enough to beat the Lightning again and take a commanding lead in their Best-of-7 First-Round Series.
Aleksander Barkov left the game with an injury but had an assist on the first goal. Consequently, losing him could be a huge detriment to the Panthers. Sam Reinhart and Seth Jones also had an assist. Brad Marchand did not get on the score sheet. Likewise, Matthew Tkachuk also went pointless. But Thachuk made his mark in Game 1 and will look to do it again in Game 3.
The Panthers fired 23 shots at the net. Furthermore, they controlled the flow of the game after winning 52 percent of the draws. The Cats also won despite going 0 for 3 on the power play. Overall, the offense did not do well, but it was enough to win.
Defense and goaltending were the way in Game 2. Amazingly, Bobrovsky stopped all 19 shots. The defense killed all five penalties, leveled 34 hits, and blocked 20 shots. Now, the goal is to replicate these stats, as the defense will attempt to shut down the Lightning again.
The Panthers will cover the spread if Tkachuk can generate scoring chances, while Reinhart and Bennett make the most of their opportunities. Then, the defense must continue to put their bodies in the way of a puck, and prevent the Bolts from capitalizing on any scoring chances they get.
Final Lightning-Panthers Game 3 Prediction & Pick
The Lightning were down 2-0 in a Best-of-7 series in the 2022 Stanley Cup, when they lost the first two games in Denver before winning Game 3 at Amalie Arena. However, they have not trailed 2-0 in a series when losing the first two games at home since the 2003 season. The Panthers were up 2-0 last season against the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup and won Game 3. Notably, they won the first two games on the road in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes before securing a 1-0 home win in Game 3.
I think this game will be as close as Game 2 was. Remember, the Lightning are desperate right now to stay alive. Therefore, I think the Lightning will do enough to cover the spread. Whether they snag a win is another story.
Final Lightning-Panthers Game 3 Prediction & Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning: +1.5 (-225)
