The Tampa Bay Lightning will host the Florida Panthers on Thursday night in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference first-round series. The puck drops at 6:30 PM ET at Amalie Arena. Florida took Game 1 on the road by a score of 6-2 and now leads the best-of-seven series 1-0.
These two teams were close in the standings, with Tampa Bay finishing second in the Atlantic Division and Florida in third. Despite the higher seed, Tampa now needs to respond at home to avoid falling behind two games before the series shifts to Sunrise. Game 1 was a surprise blowout that saw Florida score three power-play goals and limit Tampa to just 22 shots.
Lightning Preview – Looking to Regroup After Game 1
The Lightning allowed six goals in the series opener, including three on the penalty kill. Andrei Vasilevskiy had a rough night, stopping only 11 of 17 shots. Coach Jon Cooper said the team will need to clean up mistakes and be more disciplined defensively. Vasilevskiy is expected to bounce back, as he holds a career postseason record of 66-47 with a .918 save percentage.
Offensively, Tampa did have some bright spots. Jake Guentzel and Brayden Point each scored, while Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman added assists. However, the loss of Anthony Cirelli to an injury in the second period hurt their depth. Tampa has been strong at home all season, going 29-9-4 at Amalie Arena, and they’ve covered the first-period puck line in 27 of their last 44 home games.
The Lightning will also look for better results on special teams. They went just 1-for-3 on the power play and struggled to keep Florida’s top skaters from finding open lanes. With defenseman Oliver Bjorkstrand still out, others will need to step up. Expect a tighter performance in front of the home crowd.
Panthers Preview – Riding High After Game 1 Statement
Florida played one of its most complete games of the season on Tuesday. The Panthers scored six goals on just 17 shots and controlled the pace throughout. Matthew Tkachuk returned to the lineup after missing two months and led the team with two goals and an assist. The Panthers’ power play went 3-for-3, setting the tone early.
Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 20 of 22 shots and earned the win in net. He now has a 34-19-2 record this season with a .906 save percentage. Florida’s defense limited Tampa’s scoring chances and protected the lead after going up big in the second period. Coach Paul Maurice emphasized focusing on what worked early in Game 1 and ignoring momentum talk going into Game 2.
Florida has now won four of the last five games against Tampa Bay. They ended the regular season slowly but rested several players to get healthy for the playoffs. The team leads all playoff teams in shot efficiency after one game, scoring six times on minimal shot volume. The Panthers also expect to get Aaron Ekblad back after his 20-game suspension ends following Game 2.
Betting Prediction
Tampa Bay is a slight home favorite, listed at -114 on the moneyline, while Florida is +109. The total is set at 5.5 goals. The Panthers have won seven of the last 10 meetings and are 21-19-2 on the road this season. Tampa has strong trends at home, but Game 1 showed major issues with discipline and goaltending.
This is a bounce-back spot for Tampa, but Florida has all the momentum and got contributions from all four lines. Vasilevskiy could improve, but the Panthers are deeper and more rested. If Tkachuk stays hot and the Panthers’ special teams continue to shine, they can steal another one on the road. Look for a tighter game, but Florida holds on late.
Pick: Florida Panthers +109
