NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning - Source: Imagn — Looking at the Florida Panthers projected lines for tonight's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning (Image credit: Imagn)

Panthers lineup tonight: Florida's projected lineup for Game 2 against Tampa Bay Lightning | Stanley Cup Playoffs, Round 1, April 24, 2025

Modified Apr 24, 2025 16:06 GMT

Tonight, the Florida Panthers will look to steal another game on the road when they collide with the Tampa Bay Lightning for Game 2 of their first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series.

In Game 1, the team picked up right where they left off last season with their Stanley Cup run, outscoring the Lightning 6-2 on their home ice.

With big contributions from Matthew Tkachuk and Nate Schmidt to go along with an impressive outing from netminder Sergei Bobrovsky, the Panthers made a statement in Game 1.

Heading into Game 2 tonight, the team will look to steal another game on the road in hopes of setting up a scenario where they can close out the series at home in just four games.

Florida Panthers projected lines

Note: Lines subject to change

Forwards

Carter Verhaeghe - Aleksander Barkov - Sam Reinhart
Mackie Samoskevich - Sam Bennett - Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen - Anton Lundell - Brad Marchand
Jesper Boqvist - Nico Sturm - Evan Rodrigues

Defense

Gustav Forsling - Seth Jones
Niko Mikkola - Dmitry Kulikov
Uvis Balinskis - Nate Schmidt

Goalies

Sergei Bobrovsky
Vitek Vanecek

Powerplay

Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Mackie Samoskevich, Seth Jones
Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, Evan Rodrigues, Nate Schmidt

Penalty Kill

Evan Rodrigues, Jonah Gadjovich, Gustav Forsling, Seth Jones
Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen, Niko Mikkola, Dmitry Kulikov

Odds for tonight's game between the Panthers and the Lightning

Bettors seem to be backing the Lightning to get the job done and tie up the series.

Currently, Tampa Bay is a -126 favorite on FanDuel, while the Panthers are +105 underdogs. Meanwhile, on DraftKings, Tampa Bay is a -125 favorite while Florida is a +105 underdog.

Based on the latest DraftKings lines, it would take a $125 bet on Tampa Bay as the favorite to win $100 in addition to the original bet. On the other hand, a $100 bet on the defending Stanley Cup champs as the underdogs could win $105 in addition to the original bet.

Interestingly enough, much like we've seen in the Toronto-Ottawa series, Florida is sitting as a betting favorite to win the series despite being an underdog for Game 2 tonight.

With Florida looking to give itself a huge advantage before heading back home, and Tampa Bay eager to defend home ice, the stakes couldn't be higher for either team.

About the author

Evan Bell is a journalist specializing in the NBA and NHL at Sportskeeda, whose love for the game stems from a childhood spent watching the Chicago Bulls. He has been there through their highs and lows, from the Jordan era to the exciting Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah years.

Evan finds the 82-game season and the intensity of playoff basketball exhilarating, and he also revels in the offseason drama. Phil Jackson stands out as his favorite coach, whom he admires for his composed leadership and success in managing dynamic personalities like Dennis Rodman.

To deliver top-quality content, Evan fact-checks information while diligently keeping up with the action year-round.

When he's not writing, Evan follows tennis and Greek football, and also plays basketball and tennis.

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