In this article, we will formulate a Tampa Bay Lightning vs Florida Panthers Prediction for this NHL game on Sunday, December 22nd, at the Amalie Arena.
Lightning Look for Another Win
The Lightning in the last game faced off against the St Louis Blues and they were able to secure a 3-1 victory. Andrei Vasilevsky saved 31 of the 32h shots that faced. Gage Goncalves scored a goal to help pace the Lightning. The Lightning overall this season is averaging 4.0 goals while their defense is giving up 2.83 goals per game. The offense is ranked 1st in the league while the defense is ranked 11th. This is an elite offensive team and they are going to need to get the offense out to a fast start. Nikita Kucherov is having a strong season and he has scored 14 goals and added 35 assists so far this season. The Lightning will play against the Panthers, Rangers, Canadiens, Sharks, and Kings following this one.
Why the Lightning Will Beat the Panthers
- The Lightning have won each of their last six night games at Amalie Arena against opponents on a winning streak.
- The Panthers have lost each of their last three night games following an overtime win.
- The Lightning have covered the puck line in each of their last six games as favorites.
- The Panthers have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last five night games following a home win.
- The Panthers have lost the second period in each of their last four road games against Eastern Conference opponents.
Panthers Have Won Three Straight
The Panthers all of a sudden have confidence right now and they have won three games in a row. Over the last two games, the offense has scored eight goals while the defense has given up only two goals. In the last game against the St Louis Blues, they were able to secure a 2-1 victory. The Panthers are averaging 3.53 goals, while their defense is giving up 3.12 goals per game. The offense is ranked 5th in the league while the defense is ranked 22nd. Sam Reinhart scored 20 goals and added 23 assists. There are six different players that have put up at least 23 points. After this game, Florida will have a rematch with the Lightning and will meet the Canadiens, Rangers, and Hurricanes.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Florida Panthers Prediction
Give me the Lightning here. The Lightning are averaging 4.0 goals per game and they are going to get out to a fast start here. The Panthers defense is giving up 3.12 goals per game and they are going to really struggle here. The Lightning’s defense is also giving up only 2.83 goals per game, and the Panthers offense will also struggle to get going. Back the Lightning on the money line to cash here.