Aleksander Barkov emerged as the hero of the night, scoring two crucial goals in the second period to lead the Florida Panthers to a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amerant Bank Arena. The win ended the Lightning’s impressive eight-game winning streak and showcased the Panthers’ resilience and depth.
Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was a key factor in the victory, making 28 saves to backstop the Panthers (38-21-3), who have now won four straight games and nine of their last eleven. “The atmosphere was great. Obviously, they have a good team and we have a good team,” Bobrovsky said postgame, according to NHL.com. “It was fun hockey. When two good teams play, there is good bite, good energy.”
The game also marked the debut of Seth Jones, acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in a recent trade. Jones logged 22:56 minutes of ice time, including 4:08 on the penalty kill, and recorded three shots on goal.
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice praised Jones’ performance, stating, “Seth was real valuable tonight, that’s an awful lot of minutes against that power play. He’s going to be really good for us. He moves the puck clean and has a set of hands on him. I thought, from flying from Anaheim (Sunday) to get here, and then having everything being brand new, he was basically playing on instinct out there.”
Barkov’s brilliance seals the win
Barkov opened the scoring at 9:02 of the second period, escaping a check from Brayden Point at the top of the zone before firing a wrist shot from the left circle. He added his second goal of the night on the power play, extending the Panthers’ lead to 2-0.
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The Lightning (35-21-4) responded early in the third period when Point cut the deficit to 2-1, but Bobrovsky and the Panthers’ defense held firm to secure the win. Tampa Bay, which had not lost since February 1 against the New York Islanders, struggled on the power play, going 0-for-7 with the man advantage.
“We had 10-plus minutes of power-play time and can’t tuck one in,” said Lightning coach Jon Cooper. “That, ultimately, was probably the difference. I can’t say it took momentum, because we got stronger as the game went on. … It was two really good teams, and it was a good hockey game.”
Panthers overcome key absence
The Panthers played without forward Matthew Tkachuk, who was placed on long-term injured reserve. General manager Bill Zito indicated that Tkachuk is not expected to return for the remainder of the regular season. Despite his absence, the Panthers showcased their depth and ability to compete against top-tier opponents.
Implications of the victory
The Panthers’ win not only halted the Lightning’s winning streak but also solidified their position in the standings. With their fourth consecutive victory, Florida continues to demonstrate its status as a legitimate contender in the NHL.
