TAMPA, Fla. — Matthew Tkachuk made a triumphant return to action with two power-play goals and an assist as the Florida Panthers launched their playoff campaign with a convincing 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. This marks the first clash of their first-round series, with Florida determined to defend their Stanley Cup title.
Leading the charge for Florida, Nate Schmidt also found the back of the net twice, utilizing a power play for one of his goals. Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart both contributed a goal and an assist, bolstering the Panthers’ commanding performance. Sergei Bobrovsky was reliable in net, recording 20 saves to help seal the win.
On the opposing side, Jake Guentzel and Brayden Point managed to score for the Lightning, with goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy making 10 stops amidst a difficult night for Tampa. The game saw the Lightning lose center Anthony Cirelli for the last 33 minutes, with no immediate explanation provided for his absence.
Both teams are set to face off again for Game 2 of this best-of-seven series, happening Thursday at Amalie Arena.
Tkachuk’s return after over two months due to a lower-body injury was nothing short of spectacular as he netted twice during the second period. These goals, which came in quick succession, placed Florida ahead 4-1, followed soon after by another goal to establish a 5-1 lead midway through the second period.
Bennett opened the scoring early in the first period, skillfully batting a puck out of the air. Tampa Bay’s Guentzel quickly tied the game with a power-play goal at 12:21. However, the Panthers swiftly regained the lead when Reinhart skillfully tipped in a shot by Dmitry Kulikov with just 44 seconds remaining in the first period.
The Panthers extended their advantage during the early stages of the second period as Schmidt capitalized on a rebound at 4:41. Tampa faced further woes as they unsuccessfully challenged the goal for goaltender interference, resulting in a pivotal power play for Florida. Tkachuk seized the opportunity to net his first goal just 14 seconds into the advantage, followed by his second at 9:44.
Point managed to reduce the deficit to 5-2 at 13:04 of the second, attempting to spark a comeback for Tampa Bay. Nonetheless, Florida maintained their dominance — Schmidt hammered in Florida’s third power-play goal off a precise pass from Tkachuk at 5:09 in the final period, ensuring a secure victory for the Panthers.