The BB&T Center will play host to an enticing matchup as the Florida Panthers take on the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning. This divisional matchup will get started at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, December 1, and it can be caught live on Fox SportsNet Florida.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers Odds
Tampa Bay is 18-8 straight up (SU) and has earned 3.5 units for moneyline bettors this year. 13 of its contests have gone over the total, while 11 have gone under and just two have pushed. As an away team this season, the Bolts are 7-4 SU.
Tampa Bay has converted on 26.3 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a figure that places them in the top-10 among NHL teams. Its penalty kill is ranked 11th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 81.3 percent of its penalties.
Tampa Bay, as a collective unit, has been whistled for penalties 3.8 times per game in the 2018-19 season, and 2.6 per game over its past five. The team has had to stave off opponent power plays just 6.8 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Averaging 28.6 saves per game with a .899 save percentage, Louis Domingue (9-4) has been the best option in goal for Tampa Bay this season. If Tampa Bay chooses to rest him, however, they might turn to Andrei Vasilevskiy (9-4-1), who has a .927 save percentage and 2.29 goals against average this year.
Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point will both lead the way for the visiting Lightning. Kucherov (35 points) is up to 10 goals and 25 assists, and has recorded multiple points 10 times. Point has 18 goals and 15 assists to his name, and has registered a point in 15 games.
Florida is 10-14 straight up (SU) and has lost 9.3 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 24 regular season contests, 11 of its games have gone over the total, while 10 have gone under and just two have pushed. This season, the team is 5-6 SU at home.
Florida has converted on 26.9 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a figure that’s good enough for sixth-best in the league. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 26th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 76.3 percent of all penalties.
The Panthers have been penalized 3.8 times per game this season, and 2.8 per game over their past five contests. The team’s been forced to kill penalties just 6.3 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
James Reimer has stopped 23.0 shots per game as the primary netminder in goal for Florida. Reimer has six wins, 10 losses, and two overtime losses to his credit and has registered a subpar .895 save percentage and 3.25 goals against average this season.
The home team will be led on offense by Jonathan Huberdeau (five goals, 21 assists).
Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers Betting Predictions
Prediction: SU Winner – Panthers, O/U – Over
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Notes
Betting Trends
For both of these clubs, the over has hit in three of their last five matchups.
Two clubs that shoot the puck early and often, Tampa Bay has registered the league’s seventh-most shots on goal (32.9) while Florida has attempted the second-most (36.3).
The Panthers are 7-9 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 5-10 when they serve fewer than 10 total penalty minutes.
One of the best teams when it comes to disrupting their opponents, Florida is ranked 3rd overall with 9.7 takeaways per game. That figure’s trended upward, as it has created 10.3 takeaways over its last 10 games and 13.2 takeaways over its last five.
Tampa Bay skaters have averaged 3.0 takeaways per game over its last five road games, a drop-off from its season average of 7.1 takeaways per game (ranked 18th in the NHL).
Tampa Bay may hold the upper hand if this one comes down to the wire. The team’s 7-3 in games decided by one goal, while Florida is 5-8 in such games.
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