SUNRISE, Fla. — Aleksander Barkov played a crucial role by scoring two goals in the second period, while Sergei Bobrovsky delivered a solid performance with 28 saves, leading the Florida Panthers to a narrow 2-1 victory over their state rival, the Tampa Bay Lightning, on Monday night.
The Panthers, currently the reigning Stanley Cup champions, celebrated their fourth consecutive win, whereas the Lightning’s winning streak came to an end after eight games. Tampa Bay had not faced a defeat since February 1.
Brayden Point secured the sole goal for the Lightning at the onset of the third period, marking his 32nd goal of the season, the highest among his teammates. While Andrei Vasilevskiy managed to stop 27 shots.
With this victory, the Panthers lead the regular-season series 2-1 against Tampa Bay, which will host the concluding regular-season match on April 15.
Seth Jones, a seasoned defenseman, made a notable debut for the Panthers, following his recent acquisition in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks over the weekend. He nearly found the net early in the second period, though Vasilevskiy blocked his attempt, drawing enthusiastic responses from Panther fans in the stands.
Key Insights:
Lightning: Previously boasting the top-ranked power play on the road this season with a 32.1% success rate, the Lightning were unable to capitalize on this advantage, missing six opportunities, even after a double minor penalty was levied against Florida’s Eetu Luostarinen for a high-stick penalty against Jake Guentzel in the second period.
Panthers: Bobrovsky, demonstrating impressive form with a 23-save performance in a recent 3-0 shutout against Calgary, maintained his strong play by withstanding a barrage of Lightning attempts late in the second and early in the third, only conceding one goal to Point.
Pivotal Moment: Anthony Cirelli nearly equalized for the Lightning during a power play in the third period, though his shot hit the crossbar and deflected outward.
Significant Figure: The Panthers impressively defended against the Lightning’s power plays, spending over ten minutes on the penalty kill without conceding a goal.
Upcoming Games: Tampa Bay is set to host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, whereas Florida will play against Columbus at home on Thursday.
