Tampa Bay (35-20-4) at Florida (37-21-3)
- When: Mar 3 2025, 7:00 PM
- Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, FL, USA
- TV: FDSSUN
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Florida Panthers Betting Preview & Predictions
Florida is Moneyline Favorite at -133 | Total: 5.5
Tampa Bay Lightning
The hottest team in the NHL, Tampa Bay enters this matchup riding an eight-game winning streak, the longest active run in the league. The Lightning have also been sharp on the road, winning three straight away from home.
Defense has been the driving force behind Tampa Bay’s dominance, allowing just three goals over the past four games. Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy has been a brick wall in net, currently ranking second in the NHL with 29 wins.
“We’re defending well in our zone, letting Vasy see the puck,” said Ryan McDonagh, who blocked five shots in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Washington.
Tampa Bay’s defensive leader, Victor Hedman, echoed that sentiment:
“Defense wins championships. That’s the way we have to play.”
While the defense has been locking opponents down, the Lightning’s offense is led by Nikita Kucherov, who ranks second in the NHL in assists (60) and leads the team with 87 points.
Key Offensive Players for Tampa Bay:
Nikita Kucherov (87 points, 60 assists, 27 goals)
Brayden Point (31 goals)
Brandon Hagel (30 goals, 8-game point streak: 8 goals, 6 assists)
Jake Guentzel (27 goals)
Tampa Bay and Florida split their back-to-back series in December, with each team winning on the road. The Lightning will look to maintain their defensive dominance against a Florida team that has also been winning with defense.
Player Props to Watch for Tampa Bay:
Brayden Point Anytime Goal – Has 31 goals this season and is the Lightning’s most reliable scorer.
Andrei Vasilevskiy Over 27.5 Saves – Florida loves to pepper the net, and Vasy has been standing tall.
Florida Panthers
The Panthers are also in strong form, winning three straight games and sitting 12-5-0 in their last 17 contests. While Florida is known for its offensive firepower, their defense has been the biggest key to success recently.
In fact, their top four scorers—Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, and Carter Verhaeghe—have been unusually quiet in recent games. Over the past four contests, those four have combined for just one goal and four assists.
Despite this, Florida keeps winning, a testament to their depth scoring and defensive structure.
“It’s not necessarily going to be the Barkovs (every time),” said coach Paul Maurice after Saturday’s 3-0 win over Calgary.
“Teams will check each other, and the guys who don’t usually put up a lot of points become critical in the playoff push.”
Like Tampa Bay, Florida has leaned on elite goaltending. Sergei Bobrovsky recorded a shutout vs. Calgary and has been stellar, winning seven of his past nine starts.
Another major shake-up for the Panthers? The blockbuster trade for Seth Jones, who is expected to make his debut Monday. Florida sent Spencer Knight to Chicago in exchange for the five-time All-Star defenseman.
“Seth is an elite veteran and a proven leader,” said Panthers GM Bill Zito. “He’s been one of the most consistent players in the league over the past decade.”
With Jones joining an already stacked defensive core featuring Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling, Florida is doubling down on defensive dominance as they gear up for a deep playoff run.
Player Props to Watch for Florida:
Sergei Bobrovsky Under 2.5 Goals Allowed – Has won seven of his last nine starts and just shut out Calgary.
Carter Verhaeghe Over 2.5 Shots on Goal – Should be more involved with Tkachuk out.
Betting Predictions
Moneyline Pick: Tampa Bay (+113) – The Lightning’s defense and Vasilevskiy’s hot form make them a solid value pick.
Over/Under: Under 5.5 – Both teams are playing elite defense, and goals should be hard to come by.
Final Score Prediction: Tampa Bay 3, Florida 2 (OT) – Expect another tight battle in this Sunshine State rivalry.
- NHL Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook
