Panthers advance to the second
round after defeating Tampa Bay in 5 games
[May 01, 2025]
By ERIK ERLENDSSON
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Eetu Luostarinen had a goal and three assists to
lead the Florida Panthers to a 6-3 victory over the Tampa Bay
Lightning and advance Florida to the second round of the Eastern
Conference playoffs.
Carter Verhaeghe, Anton Lundell, Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett and
Sam Reinhart also scored for Florida. Sergei Bobrovsky finished with
26 saves as the defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers defeated
their in-state rival in five games in the first round for the second
consecutive season.
“I know every year is gets harder and harder, and this series was
really hard,'' Barkov said. "So, we’re happy with the end result.''
The Panthers will play the winner of the series between the Toronto
Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators, which Toronto currently leads 3-2.
Game 6 is Thursday.
Nick Paul, Gage Goncalves and Jake Guentzel scored for Tampa Bay.
Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 25 saves. Since advancing to three
consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances from 2020-2022, the
Lightning have lost in the first round for the past three seasons.
Tampa Bay fell to 1-9 in the past 10 home playoff games.
“We have a group in here that we really believe in, and that’s not
going to change going forward,'' Lightning captain Victor Hedman
said. ”Three straight years, we're knocked out in the first round,
so we’re going to have to put a stop to that next year.''
Bennett, who took a penalty that led to Tampa Bay's tying goal,
scored with 4:47 left in the second period just six seconds after he
came out of the penalty box, beating Vasilevskiy to the far post on
the stick side to lift the Panthers to a 4-3 lead.
“It’s not a good feeling being in the box twice there, and
especially after they scored one,'' Bennett said. ”So, a little
anxious in the box there, but was able to come out, and (Lundell)
made a great play to find me. Definitely a little weight off my
shoulders.''
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Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) celebrates his goal against
the Tampa Bay Lightning with center Anton Lundell (15) during the
second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round
playoff series, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP
Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay scored the opening goal for the first
time in the series when Goncalves scored 2:33 into the game. But
Florida answered with a power-play goal from Verhaeghe at 5:21 and
Lundell redirected a Brad Marchand pass at 10:06.
Paul pulled the Lightning even at 12:16 of the first with his second
goal of the series.
Barkov tipped in a Gustav Forsling shot 52 seconds into the second
to put Florida back in front before Guentzel snapped an 0-for-16
power-play slump for Tampa Bay at 9:57.
Luostarinen scored at 13:02 if the third period and Reinhart added
an empty net goal with 4:24 left to push the Panthers past the
Lightning again.
Either Tampa Bay or Florida has represented the Eastern Conference
in the Stanley Cup Final each of the past five seasons.
"Two teams right in their prime, very competitive,'' Panthers coach
Paul Maurice said.
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