Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning Game 1 Prediction and Betting Odds
Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning Game 1 Preview
WagerTalk NHL handicapper Kevin Dolan offers his thoughts on Game 1 of the Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning series in Sunrise, FL. The Panthers and Lightning split their season series 2-2 as they meet for a best of seven series starting tonight!
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| Tuesday, May 17 | NHL Betting Notes, Courtesy of Caesars |
|---|---|
| Moneyline: | Florida Panthers -155 vs Tampa Bay Lightning +135 |
| Puckline: | Panthers -1.5 (+160) / Lightning +1.5 (-180) |
| Total: | 6 .5Goals (Over -130 / Under +110) |
| Game Time: | 7:00pm ET / 4:00pm PT |
| Arena: | FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, FL |
| TV: | TNT |
Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning Analysis
Last season’s Stanley Cup winners the Tampa Bay Lightning enter Tuesday’s Game 1 matchup against the Florida Panthers coming off a huge comeback victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 over the weekend in which goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy was an absolute wall in nets helping the Lightning to progress in that one.
The Florida Panthers had a somewhat easier time of it against Washington in the first round, dusting off the Capitals in six games and won three straight to close out the series.
The two teams split their four game series earlier in the year, with both teams winning and losing their respective home and away matches.
Lightning Setting Records
With their Game 7 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs at the weekend, the Tampa Bay Lightning became only the sixth team in history to win nine straight playoff series, and will look to go for even more here on Tuesday against the Florida Panthers.
Paramount to that success will be one time Vezina Trophy winner Andrei Vasilevskiy who averaged an excellent +17.72 GSAA average in nets throughout the regular season which was good for 8th overall in the league.
Phenomenal Year For The Panthers
Not only are the Florida Panthers this season’s Presidents’ Trophy winners amassing 122 points over the regular season, they were absolutely red-hot in front of goals as well, averaging an electric 4.11 goals per game this season which was by far the best in the league.
That offense will no doubt be put to the test tonight against a solid Lightning defense, however the Panthers shouldn’t be too perturbed as they have the data to back up their red-hot offensive record this year, ranking #1 in the league this season on overall xG, scoring chances and high danger scoring chances as well.
Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning Game 1 Prediction
We’re taking the Over 6.5 goals here on Tuesday in Game 1 between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers.
As good as Vasilevskiy was in closing out Game 7 against Toronto, the Maple Leafs missed an absolute ton of chances and Tampa Bay faces a far stiffer test in defense tonight in the form of this Florida Panthers offense.
Not only do the Panthers rank #1 in pretty much every offensive category across the board this season, they also face a Lightning team tonight who have given up one of the highest shots to goal percentages to opponents in the playoffs this year at 11.11%.
The Over has gone 20-9-1 in the last 30 meetings between these two teams and we expect that to continue here with another goal fuelled encounter tonight between the Lightning and Panthers over in Sunrise.
Prediction: Over 6.5 Goals Scored
NHL Betting Guide
Thanks to the ever-expanding sports betting industry, there are now a variety of ways to attack the betting market outside of the traditional point spreads, moneylines and totals. Few sports have seen an increase of betting popularity like hockey, and we now have several different ways to wager on the NHL and international leagues. Check out our NHL Betting Guide with helpful terms and tips for novice bettors.
Puck Time | NHL Predictions for May 17
Join Andrew McInnis, Carmine Bianco and Don Buster for Tuesday’s edition of Puck Time as our panel of professional hockey handicappers break down tonight’s NHL playoff betting card. The conference semi-finals are set with the Panthers vs Lightning and Avalanche vs Blues kicking off tonight. Join the Puck Time crew Monday-Thursday at 11am ET / 8am PT and Friday on 1pm ET / 10am PT as we discuss the NHL betting slate from a variety of handicapping angles.
WagerTalk Live Odds Screen
WagerTalk’s live odds screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the NHL moneylines, puck lines and betting percentages for all of Tuesday’s playoff games, including this Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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Meet the Author
‘The sharpest sports mind in Ireland’ is how one prominent newspaper dubbed Kevin Dolan after he became the first foreigner ever to win the World Series of Handicapping tournament back in 2015. “The Irishman” made his start wagering on GAA, football, soccer and boxing, all to immense success. Since becoming a professional bettor, he has since lit up the sports betting scene in the U.S. and abroad, winning two handicapping awards and writing a best-selling book on sports handicapping named ‘The Complete Guide to Sports Betting’.
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