Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning Prediction, Odds and Picks for Today, 12/15/25

Tonight marks the second installment of the Battle of Florida, featuring the Panthers and the Lightning. Both teams are strong contenders but are currently dealing with numerous injuries. However, Tampa Bay has managed to stay at the top of the competitive Atlantic Division. They have been successful in scoring goals, receiving contributions from across their entire lineup.

The Panthers are coming off a 4-0 road victory against the Stars, but they have struggled to find success on the road this season. Goalie confirmations are still pending, but Danil Tarasov might be a viable option. His overall statistics are decent, although not exceptional. Jonas Johansson is expected to start for the Lightning, and he has had a solid season.

The total set at 5.5 is relatively low, which is understandable given the circumstances. We can expect a very intense game, likely resulting in numerous power-play opportunities. Both teams have shown resilience while shorthanded, but if you give skilled teams scoring chances, they will eventually score. Therefore, we’ll take the Over here and hope that we don’t need an empty-net goal to secure the win.

Panthers vs Lightning: Over 5.5 (-120) available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number or better.