Bruins vs Panthers Game 3 Prediction & Picks: Battling Boston Bounces Back

The first round of the 2022-23 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs continues on Friday, April 21. The night’s festivities feature the Boston Bruins taking on the Florida Panthers in Game 3 of their series at FLA Live Arena. Florida managed to pull off the upset in the previous matchup two nights ago, leaving time to tell how the latest Bruins vs Panthers clash unfolds.

The Panthers stun the Bruins in Boston to tie the series ? pic.twitter.com/riMwB18MbV

— ESPN (@espn) April 20, 2023

For a large chunk of Game 2, things looked even between the Bruins and Panthers. The two sides traded second-period goals and headed into the third with a 2-2 tie. Unfortunately for Boston, that’s when things got out of hand as Florida scored four consecutive goals to begin the third period, playing a huge role in the 6-3 victory.

Can the Bruins prove that their last performance was a one-off hiccup? Or will the Panthers prove that they’re the ones in control?

Here’s a look at everything you know heading into Game 3 of the Bruins vs Panthers series, from the latest betting odds to a prediction with the best betting recommendation.

Boston Bruins vs Florida Panthers Game 3 Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: Boston Bruins vs. Florida Panthers (Series tied 1-1)
• Venue & Location: FLA Live Arena (Sunrise, Florida)
• Date: Friday, April 21, 2023
• Game Time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time
• Bruins vs Panthers TV Info: TNT

Bruins vs Panthers Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline as of Friday, April 21 at 8:33 a.m. ET. Odds from other top online sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• Boston Bruins -1.5 (+162)
• Florida Panthers +1.5 (-196)

Over/Under

• Over 6.5 Goals (+100)
• Under 6.5 Goals (-122)

Moneyline

• Boston Bruins -156
• Florida Panthers +130

Bruins vs Panthers Betting Trends

• Boston is 13-1 straight up in its last 14 games against the Eastern Conference.
• Florida is 14-6 straight up in its last 20 games played in April.
• The total has hit the over in each of Boston’s last seven road games.
• The total has hit the over in seven of Florida’s last 10 home games.
• The total has hit the under in eight of the last 12 Boston-Florida matchups at FLA Live Arena.

Bruins vs Panthers Game 3 Preview

The Panthers have a ton of momentum on their side after evening the series. Having said that, they’re far from in the driver’s seat. This is the Bruins that we’re talking about, after all — the team that just set the NHL record for most regular-season wins (65).

The Bruins are a deep team that’s more than capable of bouncing back. Winning tonight won’t be easy, but it’s more than possible if they fix some key mistakes from Game 2.

For starters, the Bruins can’t afford to turn the puck over 15 times again. The Panthers finished the last matchup with only five giveaways, for comparison. With Florida boasting players like Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe, Boston must be more careful with the puck.

A stronger performance in the faceoff circle is also a must for the Bruins. After finishing the regular season with the second-best faceoff rating in the NHL (54.5%), Boston only won 46.1% of draws in Game 2. It doesn’t help that Pavel Zacha (31.6%) and David Krejci (42.1%) particularly struggled.

On the other hand, the Panthers tallied the 11th-worst faceoff percentage (48.9%) this past campaign. Their latest performance at the dot is more than likely an anomaly.

Game 2 Bruins versus Panthers, postgame with Matthew Tkachuk. It’s officially a series – and a chippy one.

“We’re not just going to roll over to the team that had the best record in NHL history. It would be easy to, it really would.” pic.twitter.com/EV3WNZBzN3

— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) April 20, 2023

The Bruins might have a difficult time winning tonight if goaltender Linus Ullmark doesn’t have a bounce-back showing. The Swedish netminder surrendered five goals on 29 shots in Game 2, ending the contest with his worst save percentage (.828) in 11 games.

The good news for Boston fans is that Ullmark is 16-3-0 with a 2.00 goals-against average and .936 SV% in his last 19 starts. He also owns a 2.48 GAA and .928 SV% in his last 10 meetings with the Panthers, meaning his chances of returning to form are decently high.

Speaking of goaltenders, it'll be interesting to see how Alex Lyon performs in his first-ever home playoff game. While the 30-year-old has played to a 2.74 GAA and .926 SV% in his last eight starts at FLA Live Arena, he’s also allowed three-plus goals on five of those occasions.

Considering how the Bruins had the best road record (31-8-2) in the league this season, it could be a long night for Lyon.

The Panthers have proven that they can hang with the Stanley Cup favorites for at least one game. Unfortunately, that sense of euphoria won’t last for long because the Bruins are angry and will do whatever it takes to leave with a win tonight.

Bruins vs Panthers Game 3 Prediction and Picks

Bruins vs Panthers Prediction: Bruins 4, Panthers 3

Bruins vs Panthers: Bruins ML (Best Value: -156 at BetOnline) & Over 6.5 Goals (Best Value: +100 at BetOnline)

After the Panthers shocked the hockey world in Game 2, I expect the Bruins to even things tonight. Even with the series shifting to Florida, Boston’s strong road play gives it a fighting chance to take the 2-1 lead. After being embarrassed two nights ago, I fully expect Jim Montgomery’s club to make a statement performance in Sunrise.

For the best Bruins vs Panthers bet, I recommend backing the over on the 6.5-goal total. Although the under is the side that’s favored, it’s worth noting that the over is 7-0 in Boston’s last seven road games, as well as 7-3 in Florida’s last 10 at home.

Furthermore, the Bruins and Panthers have gone over their projected totals in five of their past six clashes, averaging 7.5 goals over that stretch. With a 2-1 series lead on the line, expect both sides to step up and combine for the over.

Other Bruins vs Panthers Betting Resources

• Bruins vs Panthers Consensus Picks, Score Projections & Betting Stats

Other NHL Stories on Betting News (April 21)

• Stanley Cup Winner Odds and Best Bets