Two of the Atlantic Division’s biggest rivals face off tonight, with the Tampa Bay Lightning playing host to the Florida Panthers.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Florida Panthers (+140) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (-170) Total: 7 (O +106, U -130)The Lightning and Panthers don’t like each other, which is understandable after meeting in the playoffs two years in a row. Still, the Lightning have dominated the Panthers, winning both playoff series and seeing that roll over into this season. The Lightning have picked up 3-2 and 4-1 victories, while the Panthers recently thumped Tampa Bay 7-1. This will be the fourth and final meeting of the regular season between these clubs. The Lightning are listed as -170 favorites on the moneyline, while the Panthers are +140.
Entering this matchup, the Panthers have posted a 6-4 record over their last ten games, while the Lightning are 5-2-3.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the visiting Panthers are expected to start Sergei Bobrovsky, while the Lightning should do the same with Andrei Vasilevskiy. The Panthers’ netminder has a 17-16-2 record with a .902 save percentage, while Vasilevskiy is 28-14-2 with a .919 save percentage. It’s difficult not to give the Lightning a sizable advantage in goal tonight.
Despite the Panthers blowing out the Lightning two weeks ago, Tampa Bay is a superior club and must be looking for some measure of revenge as home favorites. It’s not the most appetizing price, but we feel comfortable backing the home side on the moneyline.
Best Bet: Lightning moneyline (-170)
When it comes to goal-scoring, neither team is shy. The Lightning score at the fourth-highest clip, and the Panthers aren’t far behind at eighth. What separates these clubs is their goals allowed per game, with the Lightning 12th and the Panthers 23rd. Over the Panthers’ last five games, they’ve seen seven or more goals scored in four, while the Lightning have also seen that in four. Still, two of three matchups between these clubs have gone under seven, so we’d feel better siding with the under.
Best Bet: Under seven (-130)
Goals aren’t hard to come by for these clubs, and there’s plenty of talent to target tonight. Brayden Point leads the Lightning with four goals and five assists over the last five games. With the Panthers struggling to keep pucks out of their net, Point should be able to take advantage. He is listed at +134 to score tonight, a price worth backing.
Best Prop: Brayden Point to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+134)
