Florida Panthers (62-21-6) vs Tampa Bay Lightning (56-26-8)
Game Info: Thursday, May 19, 2022 at 7:00 pm (FLA Live Arena)
Betting Odds: Florida Panthers -156 / Tampa Bay Lightning +126 --- Over/Under: 6.5 Click Here for the Latest Odds
The Florida Panthers host the Tampa Bay Lightning in Thursday NHL Second Round Playoff Action
The Tampa Bay Lightning get set for game 2, after picking up the opening game of the series by the score of 4-1. During the season, they have found the net 287 times, good for a rank of 8th among NHL teams. Heading into the game, Tampa Bay is the 6th ranked defensive team, allowing opponents to score at an average rate of 2.78 goals per game. Overall, the team played the 22nd most difficult schedule in the league. When diving into their opponent-adjusted scoring margin, they come into this game as the 8th-ranked team in the NHL.
The Florida Panthers will be looking to regroup for game 2, after scoring just 1 goal in their loss to Tampa Bay. During the regular season, the Panthers scored 340 goals, giving them an average of 4.11. This output gives them a rank of 1st among NHL teams. On defense, Florida is the 13th ranked unit, giving up 2.95 goals per contest. During the regular season, the Panthers played the easiest schedule in the league. And, when taking into account Florida's scoring margin relative to the quality of their competition, they come in with a power ranking of 1st in the NHL.
Through 81 games, the Tampa Bay Lightning goal and overall scoring leader is Steven Stamkos with 106 points. He has reached his mark of 42 goals, on a shooting percentage of 17.4%. So far, 38.0% of his goals have come during power play time. Behind him is Victor Hedman, who has 65 assists to go along with his 20 goals. While on the ice, his offensive production has led to a plus-minus rating of +26.0. Tampa Bay's top goalie is Andrei Vasilevskiy, who is giving up an average of 2.49 goals per game.In his 63 games played, he has turned in 39 quality starts, giving him a quality start percentage above the league average.
Through 82 games, Florida's leading goal scorer is Aleksander Barkov. With his 39 goals and 49 assists, he is the second in overall points, coming in at 88. On the season, he is turning 18.2% of his shots into goals. In addition, the Panthers have benefited from the strong play of Jonathan Huberdeau, who is the team's overall leader in points. In Florida's 82 games, he has come up with 30 goals on a shooting percentage of 13.5%. While on the ice, his offensive production has led to a plus minus rating of +35. Florida's top goalie is Sergei Bobrovsky, who is giving up an average of 2.67 goals per game. In his 54 games played, he has turned in 33 quality starts, giving him a quality start percentage above the league average.
Even though the Panthers and Lightning only accumulated 5 goals in the opening game, the over-under betting line still sits at 6.5. I recommend taking the over, as, during the regular season, the Panthers were the number 1 scoring offense. A key reason for their success was the ability to generate shots at an elite rate. Look for this to come through in what should be a high-scoring game 2.
Joe’s Pick Over 6.5 Goals
AUTHOR: Joe Kiemen
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