The Florida Panthers (52-24-6) travel to face off against the Tampa Bay Lightning (45-29-8) on Saturday, April 27th. This game will be played at Amalie Arena in Tampa and televised on TBS. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Puck drop is set for 5:00 ET.

Panthers vs Lightning

The Florida Panthers Are Coming Off A Win

With an overall record of 52-24-6, the Panthers have locked up the top spot in the Atlantic Division and are the third seed in the Eastern Conference. Over their last ten games, Florida has gone 8-2 and they have won their last five games as the favorite.

On the road this season, the Panthers have gone 26-11-4 and have won four straight games. In games against other Eastern Conference teams, Florida has gone 33-17.

Florida enters the game with a puck line record of 41-41 this season and a road puck line record of 27-14. Overall, the Panthers have a scoring margin of +.8 goals per game, and they have won 33 games by multiple goals.

Over their last 10 games, the Panthers have a puck line record of 6-4 and a road puck line record of 7-3. In their last five games, Florida has gone 2-3 against the puck line, and their average scoring margin on the road is +1.1 goals per game.

Facing the Maple Leafs in their last game, the Panthers won by a score of 5-2. On offense, the Panthers were held scoreless in the first period, but found the net four times in the second period and ended with one goal in the third. In the game, Florida managed to score all five goals at even strength. They concluded with 42 shots on goal and committed 12 turnovers.

Florida also picked up a win against the puck line, coming into the game favored by -1.5. The over/under line going into the game was 6 goals, which the teams surpassed with their combined 7 goals.

The Tampa Bay Lightning Are Coming Off A Win

Entering tonight’s game, the Tampa Bay Lightning are in 6th place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 45-29-8 and 98 points. In their last ten games, the Lightning have gone just 3-7 and have lost their last three games in a row. At home this season, Tampa Bay has gone 25-11-5.

Within the Atlantic Division, the Lightning are in 4th place with a record of 12-14. When playing against other teams in the Eastern Conference, Tampa Bay has gone 26-24. As the underdog this season, the Lightning have gone 14-12-5, and they have been the underdog in 31 of their 82 games.

So far this season, Tampa Bay has gone just 23-28 against the puck line as the underdog, but they have covered the puck line in six straight games as the underdog. In their 74 games this year, the Lightning have 34 wins by multiple goals.

Over their last ten home games, Tampa Bay has gone 6-4 against the puck line, and their average scoring margin at home this year is +.8 goals per game. The Lightning have gone 43-39 against the puck line overall, including a mark of 23-18 at home.

In their most recent game, the Lightning faced the Maple Leafs and came out victorious with a score of 6-4. The Lightning’s offense scored in each period against the Maple Leafs. Tampa Bay’s one power-play goals contributed to their total of 6 goals. Their offensive performance came with 32 shots on goal and three giveaways.

Tampa Bay came in as the favorites with a -1.5 goal advantage and, as a result, recorded a win against the puck line. The over/under line going into the game was 6.5 goals, which the teams surpassed with their combined 10 goals.

Florida Offense Breakdown

The Panthers come into the game scoring an average of 3.2 goals per game, putting them 11th in the NHL. Regarding shots targeted at the goal per game, they are 2nd in the league. Looking at how the Panthers’ offense is performing during power plays, they are 6th in power play goals and 10th in shorthanded goals.

The Panthers come in with an over/under record of 30-49-3. Over the course of the season, they have had 45 games failing to surpass the 6 goal over/under line. The average number of goals in their games is at 5.7 per game.

Lightning Offense Breakdown

On offense, the Lightning are averaging 3.5 goals per game which is 5th in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are 22nd in the league. This season, the Lightning have a 25-14 record in games where they outshoot their opponent. In games with fewer shots on goal, they hold a 19-12 record.

The Lightning come in with an over/under record of 39-37-6. Over the season, there have been 41 games that have surpassed the 6 over/under line. Their games, on average, are at 6.8 goals per game.

Florida Team Defense

Defensively, the Panthers come into the season ranked 29th in goals allowed. Opponents are averaging 27.6 shots per game against Florida. For the season, they are ranked 3rd in shutouts, coming in with 8 shutouts.

Tampa Bay Team Defense

In terms of defense, the Lightning head into the game ranked 21st in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 29.5 shots per game against Tampa Bay. So far, they are 17th in shutouts, achieving 4 shutouts.

Panthers vs Lightning Trends

• When looking at their past ten road matchups, Florida has an puck line record of 7-3 while averaging 3 per game. The team went 5-5 overall in these games.
• Through their last ten home contests, the Lightning offense has averaged 4 goals per game while allowing an average of 2. Tampa Bay posted an overall record of 6-4 while going 6-4 ATS.
• Looking back on the team’s last ten games as the underdog, the Lightning have a straight up record of 6-4. Their record vs the puck line in these games was 9-1.
• Going back to their previous ten games as the favorite, Florida has an puck line mark of 4-6 while going 8-2 straight up.

Panthers vs Lightning Prediction

When making a moneyline pick, my choice is the Lightning to come out with a win against the Panthers while playing at home. Considering the moneyline odds at +103, I’m placing my bet on the Lightning to win outright.

If you’re looking to get a bet down on this matchup, we foresee the Lightning winning the underdog. However, if you’re not as confident in the Lightning straight-up, we’d still recommend placing a bet on them to cover the puck line.

If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 6 goals, our prediction is that this game will exceed that mark, and we strongly advise placing a bet on the over.

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.