Panthers vs. Lightning NHL Playoffs Odds and Game 3 Prediction — May 20th, 2021

By Hank Blaine • May 20, 2021

The Tampa Bay Lightning continue to lead the series against the Florida Panthers at 2-0. They have been tough but very competitive contests, with both teams going at each other with force. In the end, Tampa Bay was able to take the road wins and they are now headed to Tampa Bay. Can Florida stay alive? Or will the Lightning bring more pressure to them with another him at home?

With that, NitroBetting News goes over the highlights of the upcoming game, including recent team form, the latest NHL odds, betting trends, and betting predictions, all of which are geared to help you lock in those winning picks. Don’t forget to check out more Hockey odds and lines at our online BTC sportsbook before placing your bets!

Panthers vs. Lightning Game 3 Information

When: Thursday, May 20, 2021, 6:30 PM ET
Where: BB&T Center, Sunrise, Florida
TV: YSA Network, FX-CA, TVAS2, BSSUN, BSFL
Radio: Fox Sports 640 South Florida (Panthers) / WFLA 970 AM (Lightning)
Live Stream: NHL Live
NHL Betting Odds: Tampa Bay Lightning (-137) / OU: 6

Why Bet on the Florida Panthers?

Things seems to start fading away for the Panthers. After coming off a great regular season, now they are stuck between a rock and a hard place in this series, already behind two games. They did have an better expected goal rate with 3.21, but they scored very late in the game. It was too late try for a comeback.

One of the major concerns is, who will be the goaltender? Based on the two matchups they’ve had, Chris Driedger had a better performance, posting a .927 save percentage. They will also have the return of top six forward Sam Bennett, who’s coming off a recent suspension. This could provide the boost they need in the front and try to outscore Tampa Bay.

Why Bet on the Tampa Bay Lightning?

The Lightning heads into Game 3 having won the last six of seven games as a favorite in the Stanley Cup playoffs, with a 42-16 record overall at home. The return of veteran Steven Stamkos helped plenty with getting his first goal scored since April 8th. Nikita Kucherov also had a great game, leading all skaters by four points in two playoff games.

In the defensive area, Andrei Vasilevskiy has been able to give Tampa Bay more stability in net. He’s stopped 32 of 33 shots in Game 2 and with the home crowd behind him, his confidence will go up after that recent performance.

Panthers vs. Lightning Betting Trends

The Panthers are 6-2 SU in the last 8 games.
The Panthers are 6-14 SU in the last 20 games against Tampa Bay.
The total went OVER in 4 of Florida’s last 5 games on the road.
The Lightning 8-4 SU in the last 12 games.
The Lightning are 4-1 SU in the last 5 games at home.
The total went OVER in 12 of Tampa Bay’s last 17 games against Florida.

Panthers vs. Lightning Expert Betting Predictions

There’s already way too much pressure for the Panthers. Losing two games at home can bring morale way down and now they have to look for survival on the road. But let’s think for a minute here. If we consider the stats, the Panthers had a better season than Tampa Bay, hence why they started the series at home. And the Lightning have a bad home playoff record in the past five seasons than their record on the road. So why is Florida struggling?

Remember that, once the regular season is done, stats don’t really matter that much. This is the moment of survival for all and the smallest or biggest team will fight to stay alive. For Tampa Bay, their lineup is strong and more solid than Florida. If they keep bringing power to the front, it’s going to be another rough night for them in the Sunshine state.

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*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.