Florida vs Tampa Bay Prediction 29 April 2024

Florida failed to clinch a win against Tampa on the road and returns to Sunrise with a 3-1 score, hoping to do it on their home ice. The match will take place at the “Amalie Arena”, where it will be very difficult for the “Lightning” to withstand the opponent's onslaught. But the visitors' most experienced players will try to find a way out of such a difficult situation.

Florida cornered their opponent, everything was in their hands, but the fourth game of the series did not go well for the “Panthers”. Throughout the meeting, they were forced to play catch-up and almost did so in the third period, but they fell one puck short. Bobrovsky let in as many as six goals, although it’s hard to blame the goalie. Paul Maurice's proteges were indeed weaker than the opposing team.

Tampa, facing elimination, delivered their best game of the current playoffs. They performed excellently in unequal compositions, scoring both in power play and shorthanded. The key was the first period, in which the “Lightning” simply rolled over their opponent, securing three unanswered goals. Sergachev, returning after a severe injury, helped his team secure the victory. He added reliability in defense and noted an assist.

Projected lineups:

Florida: Bobrovsky – Forsling, Ekblad – Tarasenko, Barkov, Reinhart

Tampa Bay: Vasilevskiy – Dumba, Hedman – Kucherov, Point, Stamkos

Bennett and Lomberg will not help the hosts – guys without whom the “Panthers” will not lose in quality. In the visitors' lineup, we will not see Brown, while Johansson and Fleury's participation in the game is questionable.

Florida lost in regulation time for the first time in the last 10 matches, but the “Panthers” cannot afford such a luxury anymore, otherwise, there is a risk of letting a practically won series slip from their hands. We believe that on home ice, Paul Maurice's team will definitely not lose within three periods.