The Florida Panthers (47-31-4) travel to face off against the Tampa Bay Lightning (47-27-8) on Wednesday, April 30th. This game will be played at Amalie Arena in Tampa and televised on ESPN2. The Panthers are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Lightning are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Jets. Puck drop is set for 7:30 ET.

Panthers vs Lightning

The Florida Panthers Are Coming Off A Win

With a 4-2 win over the Stars, the Panthers improved to 47-31-4 this season. Florida entered the game as -1.5 goal favorites and covered the puck line. The total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 6 fell just short of that mark.

Four different players scored for the Panthers, who took the lead at 5:15 in the first period. After the Stars tied it up in the second, Florida pulled ahead with two more goals in the third period.

The Tampa Bay Lightning Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Lightning’s defense struggled in their 7-4 road loss to the Jets. Tampa Bay held a 2-0 lead in the first period, but Winnipeg responded with seven unanswered goals. The Lightning’s record now stands at 47-27-8 after the defeat.

With the total set at 6.5 goals, the combined 11 goals easily surpassed that mark. Tampa Bay, as underdogs on the puck line, failed to cover. Four different Lightning players found the net in the game.

Florida Offense Breakdown

Florida’s offense netted four goals in their 4-2 win over Dallas, with A.J. Greer scoring his first goal of the season and Sam Reinhart adding his 10th on an empty net. The Panthers took 25 shots on goal and scored once on the power play, with Matthew Tkachuk finding the net for the third time this season.

Carolina scored in each period, including a 17:28 mark in the third, before Reinhart’s empty-netter at 19:00. The Panthers had 16 giveaways and recorded six assists on their four goals.

Lightning Offense Breakdown

Brandon Hagel opened the scoring for the Lightning, netting his 7th goal of the season. Brayden Point followed with his 8th goal, which came on a power play. Mitchell Chaffee added his 4th goal, while Nikita Kucherov found the net for the 10th time this season.

The Lightning took 30 shots on goal and recorded 8 giveaways. They scored twice in the first period, added another in the second, and found the net for the final time with 13:09 left in the third period.

Florida Team Defense

After giving up two goals in the second period, the Panthers’ defense shut down the Stars in the third, helping secure a 4-2 win. Spencer Knight made 23 saves with a 92% save percentage, while the Panthers’ defense added 8 takeaways and 22 hits.

Tampa Bay Team Defense

Defensively, the Lightning gave up the first goal in the previous game, then allowed two more after tying the game at 3-3. They also gave up two empty net goals, leading to a 7-4 loss. Jonas Johansson made 27 saves with a save percentage of 84.4%.

Panthers vs Lightning Trends

• When looking at their past three road matchups, Florida has an puck line record of 2-1 while averaging 3 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.
• In their last ten games at home, the Lightning have a straight up record of 6-4 while going 6-4 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 4 goals per game in these contests.
• Going back to their last five games as the underdog, the Lightning have a straight up record of 1-4. But, their mark vs the puck line was just 1-4.
• In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Panthers have a straight up record of 3-2, while going 2-3 against the spread.

Panthers vs Lightning Prediction

If you’re looking for a moneyline pick, my choice is the Lightning to take down the Panthers at home. With the moneyline currently at -112, I’m placing my bet on the Lightning straight-up.

For my recommended choice in the puck line, I’m leaning towards the Panthers to cover. Even if the Lightning secure a straight-up win, this game is expected to be tightly contested, and the Panthers should cover the puck line.

If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 5.5 goals, our prediction is that this game will exceed that mark, and we strongly advise placing a bet on the over.

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

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* 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.