Down 2-0 in the series, the Tampa Bay Lightning look to get back on track when they host the Florida Panthers for Game 3 on Thursday, as we offer our Panthers vs. Lightning predictions and expert picks based on the best NHL odds.
Despite being outshot 37-23, the Tampa Bay Lightning had a chance to steal Game 2 but were thwarted by an outrageous desperation save by Sergei Bobrovsky. The Florida Panthers won in overtime and secured their second straight 3-2 victory. According to the Stanley Cup odds, they are the second favorites.
The Lightning are -110 favorites for Game 3, which takes place at Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay, Fla. The puck drops at 7 p.m. ET, and the Lightning will hope that playing in front of their home fans will cure what ails their reeling offense, which has scored two goals in five of the last six games.
Accompanying our C arolina Hurricanes vs. New York Islanders predictions, here are our best Panthers vs. Lightning player props and NHL picks (odds via our best NHL betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Panthers vs. Lightning Game 3 player props
- Sam Reinhart Over 2.5 shots (-128 via FanDuel) ?????
- Nikita Kucherov Over 1.5 points (+110 via DraftKings) ???
- Lightning ML vs. Panthers (-110 via BetMGM) ????
Not intended for use in MA
Affiliate Disclosure: Sportsbook Review may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook
Panthers vs. Lightning prop bet predictions for Thursday
Sam Reinhart is a shooting machine against the Lightning. He has 24 shots in the last five games against Tampa Bay, an average of 4.8 per contest. Reinhart had five shots in Game 1 and six in G ame 2. Don't worry too much about the potential for a drop-off on the road, as Reinhart had seven shots in the two regular-season games at Amalie Arena.
At -128, FanDuel offers by far the best value on this prop. Lock it in while it's still at -128, as this line will almost assuredly shorten. Expect it to shorten in the next 24 hours, more closely aligning with the rest of our best sports betting sites. DraftKings and bet365 offer -160, while Caesars offers -161. A winning $10 bet at -128 pays a profit of $7.81 and implies a 56.14% probability.
Best odds: -128 via FanDuel
Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets
New customers only. Deposit min. $10. Place first bet of $5+ and get $150 in Bonus Bets win or lose (within 72 hours).
Claim $150
Sportsbook Review may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook betting site. 21+. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly
Will the regular-season Nikita Kucherov please skate forward?
Admittedly, there's absolutely no chance Kucherov scores at his otherworldly regular-season rate against the NHL's stingiest defense in the playoffs. However, if the Lightning intend to make this a series, Kucherov must have an instrumental impact on Game 3.
He had an assist in Games 1 and 2 but will need to be much more potent at home on Thursday. At +110, DraftKings offers the best value. A winning $10 wager pays a profit of $11 and has a 47.62% implied probability.
Best odds: +110 via DraftKings
Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets
+ No Sweat SGP Every Day of NBA Playoffs ??
Claim $200
Sportsbook Review may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook betting site. 21+. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly
The Lightning already find themselves in a must-win situation. They've lost four of the last five against their pesky Atlantic Division rivals and must find a way to stop the rot. They had an opportunity to win both games in Florida despite being heavily outshot and out-chanced.
There's still a ton of playoff experience and winning pedigree in the locker room of the recent back-to-back Stanley Cup winners.
Though our Eastern Conference predictions don't have the Lightning winning the series, it's hard to conceive of them going down with a whimper.
BetMGM offers -110 for the Lightning to win Game 3, the best value of our best sports betting apps. A $10 winning bet yields a $9.09 profit. The -110 odds imply a 52.38% probability.
Best odds: -110 via BetMGM
Up To $1,500 Back In Bonus Bets
Terms and conditions apply.
Claim $1,500
Sportsbook Review may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook betting site. 21+. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly
Panthers vs. Lightning Game 3 info & odds
- When: Thursday, April 25, 7 p.m. ET
- Where: Amalie Arena, Tampa Bay, Fla.
- How to watch: TBS, SportsNet, and TVAS
- Favorite: Lightning (-110 via BetMGM)
Panthers-Lightning player props made Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Here are our
best NHL betting sites:
- Caesars Promo Code: SBRBONUS1000 | Read our Caesars Review
- BetMGM Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our BetMGM Review
- bet365 Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our bet365 Review
- BetRivers Promo Code: SBRBONUS | Read our BetRivers Review
- FanDuel Promo Code | Read our FanDuel Review
- DraftKings Promo Code | Read our DraftKings Review
(21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.
Related pages
- Best Sports Betting Sites | Best Sportsbook Promos (U.S. only)