T.M. Selection: Florida Panthers.

I like the Florida Panthers to win this game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday. The Panthers are down 3-0 in this series and they are going to be desperate in this game. They are facing elimination here and I expect them to come out and play their best hockey of the year here to win a game and sent the series back home with a chance to make it 3-2. The Lightning have been dominant in this series but there was 1 game that the Panthers almost won and could have changed the landscape of this series. The Lightning scored on them with 4 seconds left in game 2 which seemed to be heading for OT but that loss must have disheartened Florida a bit which showed in the last game. This is the last stand for the Panthers though and they do not win here then they are out. I expect them to wake up here and play a good game since they were the team with the most points during the regular season and they weren't dominated that much in their regular season games against the Lightning either. The series between them was pretty even with both teams getting blow out wins against each other and I see this game has the potential for the panthers to win it. They have it in them to beat this team and not only will they be desperate here, but they hate the Lightning due to their state rivalry with each other and it would be an absolute embarrassment for the Panthers who won the Presidents Trophy to get swept here. I think the Panthers will bounce back here and keep their postseason alive. I like the Panthers to win this game.

T.M. Prediction: 5-2 Panthers.