There were plenty of fireworks during Game 1 between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Receiving a boost from the return of Matthew Tkachuk to the lineup, Florida scored early and often, taking down the Lightning 6-2 Tuesday night at Amalie Arena.
It didn’t take long for the Panthers to get things going.
Sam Bennett picked up the puck in Florida’s zone and quickly moved it up the ice, where Mackie Samoskevich eventually poked it into Tampa’s zone along the boards.
The rookie quickly collected the puck and sent a saucer pass toward the net, where Bennett was quickly heading, and the veteran deflected the pass from the rookie to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead at the 3:44 mark.
Playing in his first Panthers game since early February, Matthew Tkahcuk took the game’s first penalty. It was a roughing call on a hit on Nikita Kucherov that was more than questionable, especially during the playoffs.
Florida nearly killed it off but a late faceoff led to Jake Guentzel plucking a Kucherov rebound from the side of the net and quickly dangling it behind Sergei Bobrovsky to tie the game at one.
Another deflection goal would give the Panthers their second lead of the game. This time it was Dmitry Kulikov sending a wrist shot toward the net that Sam Reinhart redirected past Andrei Vasilevskiy with just 44 seconds left in the opening period.
A great shift by the Anton Lundell line led to Florida’s third goal of the game.
Pinning the Lightning deep in their zone, Bennett came flying off the bench and forced a turnover along the boards. The puck was picked up by Brad Marchand, and after his shot was stopped by Vasilevskiy, Nate Schmidt came barreling down the slot and poked in the loose puck.
Tampa Head Coach Jon Cooper challenged the play for goalie interference, but after a quick review the goal was deemed good, and Florida was given a power play for the failed challenge.
It took only 14 seconds for the Panthers to make Tampa pay.
Reinhart found Tkachuk all alone in front of the net, and he showed off his soft hands, dangling around Vasilevskiy to give Florida a sudden and commanding 4-1 lead.
A questionable hit by Emil Lilleberg on Anton Lundell put the Panthers back on the power play, and once again it was Tkachuk beating Vasilevskly to pump Florida’s lead to four.
Just over three minutes later, Brayden Point one-timed a nice pass from Ryan McDonagh past Bobrovsky’s blocker to trim Florida’s lead by one.
Florida’s third power play of the game would lead to their third power play goal.
A perfectly placed wrist shot by Schmidt from the point beat Vasilevskiy over the glove, restoring the Cats’ four-goal lead just over five minutes into the final frame.
On to Game 2.
QUICK THOUGHTS
Two goals and an assist for Tkachuk in his first game in over two months. The three points match his playoff career high.
Bennett’s goal was his first since March 28 against Utah.
Reinhart picked up where he left off after finishing the regular season with seven goals in 12 games.
Bobrovsky finished with 20 saves, including on six of Tampa’s seven high danger shots.
Florida’s two goals in 14 seconds during the second period were the fastest two goals scored in Panthers playoff history.
Schmidt’s goals were the eighth and ninth he’s scored during the Stanley Cup Playoffs over 77 postseason games.
The Panthers improved to 20-0 when leading after two periods during the playoffs under Paul Maurice.
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