NHL Same-Game Parlay: Kucherov Trend Powers Panthers-Lightning SGP Picks

The final first-round matchup of the Stanley Cup Playoffs kicks off tonight with a heated Florida rivalry, as the Panthers face the Lightning at 8:30 p.m. ET in Tampa Bay.

It’s shaping up to be a close one. Even though Tampa’s got home ice, the Panthers are actually slight favorites to win the series at -115 on FanDuel.

The Lightning aren’t far behind at -104, showing just how tight this matchup could be.

Looking at the bigger picture, Florida’s got a pretty good shot at going all the way – they’re sitting at +900 odds to win the Stanley Cup, fifth-best among all playoff teams. Tampa Bay and Washington are tied a bit further back at +1100.

For tonight’s Game 1, Tampa Bay’s the favorite at -118, while Florida’s right there at -102. Oddsmakers are expecting a fairly tight-scoring affair, with the over/under set at 5.5 goals.

Here’s what makes this matchup really interesting: Nikita Kucherov had an absolutely monster regular season, leading the NHL with 121 points (37 goals, 84 assists). But he’s been struggling lately against good teams, staying under his points total in his last five games against winning teams.

Gustav Forsling has been on fire lately for the Panthers, especially on the road. He’s been averaging 3 shots per game in his last five away games.

Meanwhile, Aleksander Barkov has been having a tough time hitting his points targets, falling short in 8 of his last 10 games.

For anyone looking to place some bets, combining these three trends into a same-game parlay would pay out at +447 – pretty nice odds if you’re feeling lucky.

This rivalry game should be a great way to wrap up the first round’s opening matches. With both Florida teams playing some of their best hockey, we might be in for quite a show.