The Florida Panthers host the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amerant Bank Arena for Game 4 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. The game is set for 7:00 PM ET on April 28, 2025. Florida leads the series 2-1, but Tampa Bay comes in with momentum after a 5-1 win in Game 3.
No team has won a home game yet in this series. Tampa Bay has struggled in recent playoff games but found life with a strong road win last time out. Florida, the reigning Stanley Cup champions, will try to bounce back on home ice and take a 3-1 series lead.
Panthers Preview – Can the Champs Respond at Home?
Florida started strong in Game 3 but could not keep it going. Matthew Tkachuk scored early, but the Panthers gave up five unanswered goals. Captain Aleksander Barkov stressed learning from the loss and staying focused for Game 4.
During the regular season, Florida had five players score over 20 goals. Sam Reinhart led with 39 goals and 81 points, while Barkov added 51 assists. Florida is known for strong defense and ranks near the top of the league in goals allowed at just 2.71 per game.
Florida has not lost two games in a row much this season. They have a 27-13-2 record at home. They will look to control the puck better and create more scoring chances to get back in the win column in this key game.
Lightning Preview – Tampa Bay Looks to Keep Rolling
Tampa Bay found a spark in Game 3. Jake Guentzel had a goal and two assists, and Nikita Kucherov added three assists to power the offense. Coach Jon Cooper said getting the lead for the first time in the series made a huge difference for his team.
Andrei Vasilevskiy was sharp in net, stopping 33 of 34 shots. Tampa Bay is getting great production on the power play and strong performances from their stars. The Lightning are scoring 3.54 goals per game this season and rank near the top of the league in shooting percentage at 13%.
Tampa Bay is also a strong road team with a 19-19-4 record away from home. They have covered the puck line in 44 of 87 games this year. They will aim to keep the momentum by playing aggressive and keeping Florida’s top scorers in check.
Betting Prediction
Florida enters Game 4 as a small favorite at -134 on the moneyline, with the total set at 5.5 goals. Even though Florida is at home, Tampa Bay’s big Game 3 win has shifted the momentum. The Lightning have scored 13 goals over the last three games and are finding their offense at the right time.
Florida will be better in Game 4, but Tampa Bay’s top players are clicking, and Vasilevskiy is locked in. This game should be tight, but taking Tampa Bay with the plus money is a good option. Look for a low-scoring battle with Tampa Bay winning around 3-2.
Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning +125 over Florida Panthers in Game 4.
Enjoy the game and best of luck with all your NHL Betting!
