New York Rangers vs Florida Panthers Game 3 Predictions, Odds, Player Props & Injury Report (May. 26)

• Our Rangers vs Panthers Game 3 prediction concentrates on the game total
• The Sunday NHL odds favor the Cats to take a 2-1 series lead over the Blueshirts
• Read below for Rangers vs Panthers Game 3 prediction, odds, player props and injury report

The New York Rangers and Florida Panthers continue their Eastern Conference Final playoff series with Game 3 on Sunday, May 26, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. ET at the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida. The game will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN+.

The series is tied 1-1 after the Rangers’ thrilling 2-1 overtime victory in Game 2. The Panthers are favored to win Game 3, with odds of -155, while the Rangers are underdogs at +130.

Here is our Rangers vs Panthers prediction for Game 3, along with betting odds and player props to bet.

Rangers vs Panthers Prediction

We’ve made our prediction for Rangers vs Panthers Game 3, concentrating on the game total and factoring in home-ice advantage.

Series Analysis

The first two games of this series have been tightly contested, with both teams relying heavily on their stellar goaltending. Igor Shesterkin and Sergei Bobrovsky have been outstanding, allowing just three goals each in the series.

The Panthers took Game 1 with a 3-0 shutout, but the Rangers bounced back in Game 2, winning 2-1 in overtime thanks to a clutch goal from Barclay Goodrow.

As the series shifts to Florida, expect the Panthers to come out strong on home ice. They have been excellent at the Amerant Bank Arena in the playoffs, posting a 4-2 record. However, the Rangers have proven to be a resilient team on the road, going 4-1 away from Madison Square Garden in these playoffs.

My Game 3 Best Bets

I’m taking the Florida Panthers moneyline at -155 in Game 3. The Panthers have been the better overall team in this series so far and were a bounce away from being up 2-0. They’ve been excellent on home ice in the playoffs with a 4-2 record.

Florida is returning home after a lengthy road trip, which is typically a good spot to target the Cats. The Panthers are 12-2 in their last 14 home games following a road trip of seven or more days.

Additionally, I like the under 5.5 goals at -125. The first two games have been low-scoring, defensive battles with elite goaltending from Sergei Bobrovsky and Igor Shesterkin. Bobrovsky has a stellar .947 save percentage and 1.50 GAA in the series, while Shesterkin is right there with him posting a .945 save percentage and 1.51 GAA.

Sergei Bobrovsky postgame: “it’s a good win for them.” Had won 11 consecutive OT playoff games until this loss. See you Sunday in Sunrise. #nyr #timetohunt pic.twitter.com/ShMu1c8ONk

— Josh Moser (@TheMozKnowz) May 25, 2024

The Panthers are allowing just 2.17 goals per game at home in the playoffs. And the Rangers have scored two goals or less in regulation in four of their six road playoff games. With the series tied and the stakes rising, expect another tight-checking affair.

The Panthers’ ability to control possession, coupled with their strong defensive structure and home-ice advantage, gives them the edge in Game 3. But don’t expect a lot of goals. Back the Panthers on the moneyline and the under on the total.

NYR-FLA Picks:

• Under 5.5 (-125)
• Panthers ML (-155)

Rangers vs Panthers Odds

The Panthers are the favorites to win Game 3, with odds of -155, implying a 60.9% probability of victory. The Rangers are the underdogs at +130, which translates to a 43.5% chance of winning.

The odds favor the Panthers due to their strong home record in the playoffs and the fact that they have been the slightly better team overall this season. Not to mention, Florida swept their opponent in the Eastern Conference Final last season.

The game opened with a total of 5.5 goals, juiced to the under at -125, while the over is +155. This suggests the oddsmakers are expecting another low-scoring, defensive battle. The under has now hit in four of the Rangers’ last six games and five straight for the Panthers.

Digging deeper, the Panthers have gone under in 58% of their home games this season. And the under is 35-56-4 in Rangers games overall, cashing at a 61.5% rate. When these teams met in Florida in the regular season, the game finished with just 4 goals.

With two of the NHL’s best goalies in net and both teams emphasizing defensive structure, the under 5.5 is a solid bet for Game 3. The juice on the under also indicates the oddsmakers are expecting a tight-checking game.

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Odds as of May. 25. Check out the best betting app for the 2024 NHL Playoffs.

FLA vs NYR Player Props

Here are a couple of the NHL player props we are targeting for Sunday’s Game 3:

Carter Verhaeghe Over 0.5 Goals (+150)

Verhaeghe leads the Panthers with eight goals in the playoffs and has been a consistent threat throughout the postseason. He’s scored in back-to-back games and now returns home to a building he’s had plenty of success in.

In six playoff games at Amerant Bank Arena this postseason, Verhaeghe has lit the lamp four times. Considering the underrated sniper is second on the Panthers with 16 shot attempts in this series, we like the odds of him extending his goal streak to three games.

Artemi Panarin Over 0.5 Assists (-120) 

Panarin has recorded at least one point in each of the Rangers’ last twelve road games against Atlantic Division opponents. Expect him to set up a teammate for a crucial goal in Game 3.

Rangers vs Panthers Injury Report

The Panthers’ injury report does not list any players heading into Game 3, giving them a clean bill of health.

The Rangers, however, will be without forward Blake Wheeler, who is out for the season with a lower-body injury. Additionally, forward Jimmy Vesey is questionable for Game 3 with an upper-body injury. If Vesey is unable to play, the Rangers may need to shuffle their lines and rely on their depth players to fill the void.

While Wheeler’s absence and Vesey’s potential loss could impact the Rangers’ offensive depth, they have shown the ability to overcome adversity throughout the playoffs. The Rangers’ success will largely depend on the performance of their top players and the continued excellence of Shesterkin in goal.