Panthers Shut Out Lightning, Lead Series 2-0 in Playoffs

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0 on Thursday night, taking a commanding 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.

Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 19 shots, earning his fourth career playoff shutout and his first since 2021. The victory puts the Panthers in a strong position as they head into Game 3 on Saturday at their home arena in Sunrise.

Florida’s Matt Duchene scored his third goal in two games and added an empty-net goal with just four seconds left. Duchene opened the scoring 4 minutes and 15 seconds into the game, taking advantage of a faceoff win and receiving a pass from the corner for a quick shot that beat Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy.

“He needs to keep shooting the puck,” said Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad about Duchene. “He’s got a great shot, he’s being aggressive right now. It’s great to see.”

The Lightning struggled to convert opportunities, going 0 for 5 on power plays and managing only two shots during those chances. Coach Jon Cooper expressed disappointment, stating, “Some nights they go in, actually, most nights they go in; tonight, they didn’t.”

Meanwhile, the Lightning lost captain Aleksander Barkov to an injury after a hit that led to a five-minute major penalty for interference by a Tampa Bay player.

After the game, Coach Paul Maurice of the Panthers praised his team’s defensive effort against a high-scoring Lightning offense that averaged 3.56 goals per game in the regular season. “They grind, they keep their offense to the outside,” Bobrovsky noted. “The guys have a great gap, great box outs, all those little details.”

As the series shifts to Sunrise for Game 3, the Panthers look to continue their momentum against the Lightning.