Tampa Bay Lightning

Radio broadcaster Dave Mishkin recaps Tampa Bay's series-clinching shutout of the Panthers on Monday.

Just over six minutes into the third, Zach Bogosian held in a Florida cleaning attempt at the right point and worked the puck to the net. Vasilevskiy, who had left the crease in anticipation of the puck coming around the boards, skated back to the net in time and deflected it wide. Prior to the hand pass challenge, the Panthers had outshot the Lightning, 29-9. The puck hit off the end boards directly to Palat, who put it into the empty net, sealing the game - and the series. Replays shows the puck hit off Cirelli's glove and went directly to Kucherov. A hand pass. The review was a lengthy one, as the officials looked to find a replay that conclusively showed the puck hitting the netting. Through the opening frame, the Panthers pushed the pace and had the Lightning back on their heels. The Panthers received two first period power play chances and the second of those carried over into the middle period. During that second PP, they registered seven shots (five as the first period wound down and two more at the start of the second). Shortly after that penalty ended, the Lightning went on their first PP of the game. The Panthers attacked the net right from the start. Carter Verhaeghe rang a shot off the crossbar, the first of two posts the Panthers hit in the game. But thanks to Vasilevskiy, the Lightning got out of the period with the score tied at 0-0.

The Florida Panthers collapsed vs. the Lightning and the blame should be placed on Jonathan Huberdeau, Sasha Barkov, and Mackenzie Weegar.

The team’s leading scorer found the back of the net just twice in the playoffs and was held off the score sheet entirely against the Lightning, managing just one point in the four-game sweep. The Game 2 loss meant that Florida had failed to win a game on their home ice against the Lightning, putting them down 2-0 before the series flipped to Tampa. Had Weegar not made the critical mistake in the waning moments of Game 2, the Panthers may have been able to win in overtime and have the series knotted up before heading to Tampa. Panthers fans were expecting Barkov to help turn the tide against the Lightning, but when push came to shove, the captain took a step back and Florida was worse off for it. While Andrei Vasilevskiy was sensational for the Lightning, Florida’s inability to find the back of the net was inexcusable. Considering Huberdeau is one of the main catalysts of the team’s offense, particularly on the power-play, it’s impossible not to place a significant amount of the blame on him. Their power-play unit was putrid, managing just one goal in the entire playoffs despite being one of the strongest groups during the regular season.

This system was made so teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Los Angeles Kings, and the Anaheim Ducks (to a lesser extent, the decade-plus run of the San ...

They already have a legacy in the NHL, they are already one of the three most incredible teams of the salary cap era, and they will be remembered as such. This Lightning franchise was already a proven playoff team before that series (three conference finals in the past five years at that juncture—with a Stanley Cup Final appearance), and while it's easy to place a narrative on the team given their performance after the sweep it misses the overarching story of this franchise—they've been a top contending team well before that series, and have only elevated themselves since. If the Lightning pull off the improbable and win a third consecutive championship, there won't be a debate on who the dynastic team is—it'll undoubtedly be the Lightning. This continued stretch of deep playoff runs and championships feels unprecedented in the salary cap era. Six Eastern Conference Final appearances in eight years, more than any other team has in the entire Salary Cap Era. Three Conference Final appearances in a row, a feat only matched by the Chicago Blackhawks (2013-15), Detroit Red Wings (2007-09), and Los Angeles Kings (2012-14) in the Salary Cap Era. Three trips to the Stanley Cup Final. Back-to-back championships. This system was made so teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Los Angeles Kings, and the Anaheim Ducks (to a lesser extent, the decade-plus run of the San Jose Sharks, who were dominant but could never win it all) could find success once in a while. The implementation of the salary cap after the 2003-2004 season was meant to increase parity, give more teams a chance to win the Stanley Cup, and even the playing field for teams that aren't money printing machines regardless of the on-ice product.

The Tampa Bay Lightning swept the Florida Panthers to advance to the third round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Tampa Bay defeated Florida with a score of 2-0 ...

Tampa Bay defeated Florida with a score of 2-0 in Game 4 on Monday night at Amalie Arena. The Lightning are seeking a historic three-peat, after winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021. Next up, Tampa Bay will face the winner of the Carolina Hurricanes-New York Rangers series in the Eastern Conference final. The Tampa Bay Lightning swept the Florida Panthers to advance to the third round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are officially one round away from securing their third Stanley Cup Final appearance in the past three years.

Erik Cernak and Steven Stamkos provided the final three goals to end the game 5-1. They picked up the pace in the third period, with goals from Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Kucherov and Ross Colton. The Tampa Bay Lightning are officially one round away from securing their third Stanley Cup Final appearance in the past three years.