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The Tampa Bay Lightning will head south to battle the Florida Panthers. It will be a Sunbelt showdown at Amerant Bank Arena as we share our NHL odds series and make a Lightning-Panthers prediction and pick.
The Panthers lead the head-to-head series 84-67. Furthermore, they have gone 9-1 in the past 10 games against the Bolts. The Lightning and Panthers have played twice this season, with the Cats winning 4-2 on December 22 at Amalie Arena, and the Bolts returning the favor the next day at Amerant Bank Arena.
Here are the Lightning-Panthers NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Lightning-Panthers Odds
Tampa Bay Lightning: +1.5 (-250)
Moneyline: +102
Florida Panthers: -1.5 (+198)
Moneyline: -122
Over: 5.5 (-120)
Under: 5.5 (-102)
How To Watch Lightning vs Panthers
Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
TV: ESPN+, Scripps, and FanDuel Sports Sun
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Lightning Could Cover the Spread/Win
The last time the Lightning stepped foot into this arena, they exploded early and never looked back. Amazingly, three goals got them through the floodgates early. Nikita Kucherov started the fun to put them up 1-0. Then, Jake Guentzel added one to make it 2-0. Mitchell Chaffee made it 3-0 on a powerplay conversion. Finally, the Bolts finished things off with an empty-net tally from Brandon Hagel to win this thing 4-0.
The Lightning fired 29 shots at the net. Also, they won 52 percent of the faceoffs while going 1 for 3 on the powerplay. They did enough to maintain possession of the puck to ensure the win.
Jonas Johansson was brilliant in this game as he stepped into the start after Andrei Vasilevskiy started the previous night. Remarkably, he stopped all 36 shots the Cats flung at him to earn a shutout. The Lightning also killed off all four Panthers' powerplay chances and leveled 13 hits while blocking 16 shots.
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Things got really chippy in this game, as the Lightning had 37 total penalty minutes while the Panthers had 26. This could be a factor in this game, as the rivals will be battling for every loose puck, and the Lightning will look to do more to ensure they can snag the victory.
The Lightning will cover the spread if they can get to the loose pucks, and Kucherov can gain some space to get some good shooting chances. Then, the defense must cut off all the angles and make things easier for Vasilevskiy, who will likely be in the net for this one.
Why the Panthers Could Cover the Spread/Win
Matthew Tkachuk is out for a while, and that could spell trouble for the Panthers as they attempt to repeat as Stanley Cup champions. But the Cats still have some depth and have won three games in a row as they cling to a tight lead in the Atlantic Division. Notably, they just traded for Seth Jones to add some backbone to their defense.
When the Panthers played the Lightning on December 22, the story was different from what would transpire the following day. Ultimately, the Cats struck first when Sam Reinhart converted on a powerplay goal. The Panthers allowed the Lightning to strike to tie it up. But the second period came along, and the Panthers retook the lead, thanks to a shorthanded goal by A.J. Greer. Also, Eetu Luostarainen added another shorthanded tally to make it 3-1. After allowing the Bolts to get a goal, the Cats finished it off with an empty-net goal from Reinhart.
The Panthers fired 26 shots on the net. Also, they won this game despite winning just 47 percent of the faceoffs. The Panthers also went 1 for 2 on the powerplay.
Spencer Knight was efficient, stopping 19 shots and allowing two goals. Additionally, the Panthers' defense leveled 26 hits and blocked 14 shots to help win this game.
The Panthers will cover the spread if they can strike first and show no mercy, getting to the loose pucks and bottling up any attacks the Lightning make. Then, they must defend well, and not allow Kucherov to do any damage.
Final Lightning-Panthers Prediction & Pick
The Lightning are 32-27 against the spread, while the Panthers are 31-30 against the spread. Moreover, the Bolts are 15-14 against the spread on the road, while the Cats are 15-16 against the spread at home. The Lightning are 25-30-4 against the over/under, while the Panthers are 31-30 against the over/under.
The Lightning dominated the Panthers in this building in their last meeting. How will this one go? I think the game will be close. Moreover, I don't think the Cats have claws that are sharp enough to scratch out the Lightning. I have the Bolts covering the spread on the road in this one.
Final Lightning-Panthers Prediction & Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning: +1.5 (-250)
