Game 3 of the NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Finals is set for a mid-afternoon puck drop between the New York Rangers and Florida Panthers on Sunday.
After getting shut out in Game 1 at home en route to a 3-0 loss against the Panthers, New York came out firing in Game 2, scoring within the first five minutes to gain a 1-0 lead. Carter Verhaeghe took advantage of a late powerplay opportunity with under two minutes left in the first period and scored the equalizing goal for Florida. These teams remained in a 1-1 deadlock until Barclay Goodrow sealed the game-winning goal in overtime to wrap up a 2-1 win at Madison Square Garden.
Now, the Panthers return to Sunrise at Amerant Bank Arena, where they’ve played poorly in the playoffs. Florida only beat the Lightning by a one-goal deficit in their first two home games in Round 1, including a 3-2 overtime win, while they lost two of three games on home ice against Boston in the Semifinals. The Rangers have played well on the road thus far, so we could be in store for a road upset on Sunday afternoon.
As always, we’ve got a plus odds Same Game Parlay constructed to tail ahead of Sunday’s 3 p.m. ET puck drop for Game 3 between the Rangers and Panthers. Follow me @Matt_MacKay_ on X for more free plays, NHL Prop Bets, and NHL best bets during the week.
Sunday's NHL SGP
Leg 1: Chris Kreider To Record 1+ Points (-125)
We have yet to see Chris Kreider unleashed in this series for the Rangers. New York’s first-line winger recorded a hat trick in the third period of Game 6 against Carolina to beat the Hurricanes on the road and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Kreider tends to perform well in road games and he’s recorded four shots on goal during the first two matchups in this series. He’s due to show up on the stat sheet soon and Game 3 is setting up to be where we finally see Kreider record at least one point before its conclusion on Sunday. -125 is great value considering the talent Kreider possesses, so let’s insert this as the first leg of our Same Game Parlay.
Leg 2: New York Rangers +1.5 (-210)
We’re investing in the Rangers to keep momentum rolling into Game 3 on the road at Amerant Bank Arena. Florida hasn’t looked spectacular in this series and Sergei Bobrovsky has played about as well as he can. New York has a potent offense that has yet to be fully in sync in this series, but we only need the Rangers to cover the puck line as road underdogs.
+1.5 at -210 odds is pretty good considering how good the Rangers have played on the road in the playoffs. Factor in the Panthers’ struggles at home and we could be in store for either a Rangers blowout or a narrow 3-2 win by Florida. Either way, we’re getting a +1.5 cover from New York on Sunday afternoon.
Same Game Parlay: +117
We’re keeping it simple for this +117 Same Game Parlay, inserting only two legs, both on the Rangers’ side. Chris Kreider has to show up and get on the stat sheet, recording at least one point via goal or assist, which he’s demonstrated numerous times during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
All we need after Kreider records a point is for the Rangers to keep Game 3 close, losing by one goal or winning outright. Florida is a talented team but they tend to underperform at times, plus they haven’t seen the Rangers offense fire on all cylinders in Game 1 and Game 2. +117 for the Rangers to cover +1.5 and Kreider to record a point is a great way to end our slump as we prepare for an exciting Game 3 between New York and Florida!
Matthew MacKay is a featured writer for BettingPros & FantasyPros. For more from Matthew, check out his archive and follow him @Matt_MacKay_.