Lightning vs. Panthers NHL Playoffs Predictions (Saturday)
The NHL playoffs are one of the most exciting events in sports, as sometimes you just need to get in to make a run. We've seen lower seeds come away with upsets and even hoist the Stanley Cup. Let's look at a couple of those potential teams with today's NHL best bets. Here’s our top predictions for Lightning vs. Panthers.
Saturday's NHL Playoff Best Bets: Lightning vs. Panthers
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Lightning vs. Panthers
The champs have asserted their dominance in this series by containing the Lightning to just two goals in two games, including a shutout in Game 2. This is the same Tampa Bay offense that led the league in goals per game during the regular season (3.56) and has the regular season points leader, Nikita Kucherov (121).
The big difference in this series so far has been the special teams. The Lightning are just 1-for-8 on the power play, while the Panthers are 3-for-6. The metric shows that at even strength, the Lightning are the better team with a 55% expected goals share, but when calculated across all situations, that plummets to 41%.
It's tough not to pick the Panthers at home, especially when that blue line and Sergei Bobrovsky have contained this potent Bolts offense.
Pick: Panthers Moneyline (-135)