The Vegas Golden Knights lead 2-0 in the Stanley Cup Final, and it’s now time for the Florida Panthers to rediscover the ability to bounce back that has served them so well in the NHL Playoffs this year. They have beaten the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes, so they might not be panicking just yet after falling 2-0 down, but they cannot afford a home loss on Thursday night.
Western Conference champions the Golden Knights got the job done in both games at home and the action resumes in Florida tonight at 8:00 pm ET on TNT, so let’s take a look at the odds, betting lines and our expert’s best bets for Golden Knights vs Panthers Game 3.
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Vegas Golden Knights vs Florida Panthers odds & betting lines
Money line odds: Panthers -118, Golden Knights +100
Total goals over/under: 5.5-6 goals
Puck line odds: Panthers -1.5 (+210), Golden Knights +1.5 (-250)
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Vegas Golden Knights vs Florida Panthers expert picks
Golden Knights vs Panthers money line pick: Panthers ML (-118, FanDuel)
After bullying their way through 3 elite opponents, the Panthers are now trying to avoid losing 3 straight games when it matters most. The Golden Knights have outplayed the Panthers so far in the Stanley Cup Final to take a 2-0 lead, but the Panthers have done plenty of things to hurt themselves as well, with some brutal defensive breakdowns and undisciplined play. Granted, this does not exactly sound like a ringing endorsement for Florida to win Game 3. But if the Panthers can clean up their sloppy play and revert to what made them successful in the 12 games leading up to this Stanley Cup Final, they can give Vegas a much better game on Thursday.
When the Panthers were down 3-1 to the Bruins in the first round, they kept their composure and made the necessary adjustments that ultimately led to them winning 3 straight to close out the series. There is no reason that the Panthers cannot do that again. After a historic, record-setting regular season, it would not be a stretch to say the Bruins were a better team than the Golden Knights are now as an 82-game sample size is not a fluke. If the Panthers can be on the brink of elimination down 3-1 and beat the Bruins, they can chip away at the Golden Knights. If Florida drops Game 3, it will be difficult to take them in Games 4 or potentially 5. But for now, the Panthers are in desperation mode and really need this one so I expect their best effort.
Golden Knights vs Panthers over/under total goals pick: Under 6.0 (-110, DraftKings, BetMGM or Caesars)
The total for Game 3 will likely be determined by how the Panthers play. If they do not improve and play as poorly as they did in Game 2, then the Golden Knights will likely run up the score again, leading to another over. That has happened in both games thus far. But if the Panthers can get back to the style of play that got them to this point, then a low-scoring game is more likely. The under has hit in 8 out of the Panthers’ last 11 games. Florida won all 8 of those games and the average total was 4.63 goals. The Golden Knights have shown an ability to hold their opposition in check. That is a recipe for a low total.
Another aspect that Florida head coach Paul Maurice will likely emphasize ahead of Game 3 is discipline. The Panthers were able to lean on their physical play to overpower and outmatch the Maple Leafs and Hurricanes. That has not been the case against the Golden Knights because Vegas is also a big team that has also played with more discipline than Florida. The Panthers have to stay out of the box in Game 3. They can’t afford to give Vegas any more space and advantage than they already have. With both teams keeping a focus on staying out of the box, as well as strong 5-on-5 play, Game 3 has the makings of a tightly played, low-scoring game.
Check out our Golden Knights vs Panthers Same Game Parlay and NHL player prop picks for Game 3
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