Game 2: Panthers Power Down Lighting, Schmidt Happens Again

TAMPA — The Tampa Bay Lightning has to get its power play going if it hopes to knock off the Florida Panthers in this opening round playoff series.

Thus far, the Lightning have suffered a power outage.

On Thursday night, the Panthers killed off all five of their penalties and beat the Lightning 2-0 in Game 2 at Amalie Arena.

Florida holds a 2-0 lead in the best-of-7 series which now turns to the southeast with the next two games in Sunrise.

Captain Sasha Barkov left the game with 10:09 remaining after taking what appeared to be a hit to the jaw from the shoulder of Brandon Hagel.

He did not return.

The Panthers got off to another hard-hitting start and took a 1-0 lead on a slapper from Nate Schmidt off a faceoff win from Barkov 4:15 into the game.

It was the third goal of the series for Schmidt.

After that, it was all defense and Sergei Bobrovsky for the Panthers and they smothered the Lightning in the offensive zone.

Bobrovsky ended with 19 saves.

GAME 2: PANTHERS @ LIGHTNING

• Schmidt became the second Panthers defenseman to score in the team’s first two games of a postseason. The first? Jason Woolley in 1996.
• Schmidt is also the sixth defenseman in NHL history to score three goals through his first two games of a playoff year. Nicklas Lidstrom did it last with three in 1995 with the Red Wings.
• With four shutouts in his playoff career, Bobrovsky tied Semyon Varlamov for seventh-most by an active goalie.

HOW THEY SCORED

• Panthers 1, Lightning 0 (4:15 1st): Nate Schmidt happens again, the defenseman getting his third of the series by one-timing a Sam Reinhart pass from the top of the right circle. Sasha Barkov kicked things off by winning another faceoff.
• Panthers 2, Lightning 0 (19:56 3rd EN): Sam Bennett ices it.

FHN’S 3 STARS OF GAME 2

• 1. Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida
• 2. Nate Schmidt, Florida
• 3. Sasha Barkov, Florida

2025 NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND: GAME 3

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING @ FLORIDA PANTHERS 

Panthers Lead Best-of-7 Series 2-0

• When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FtL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla)
• National TV: TBS/truTV
• Streaming: Panthers+, MAX
• Radio: WAXY 790-AM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Series Schedule — Game 1: Florida 6, @ Tampa Bay 2; Game 2: Florida 2, @ Tampa Bay 0; Game 3 at Florida: Saturday, 1 (TBS/Scripps); Game 4 at Florida: Monday, April 28, 7 (ESPN/Scripps); Game 5* at Tampa: Wednesday, April 30 (TBA); Game 6* at Florida: Friday, May 2 (TBA); Game 7* at Tampa: Sunday, May 4 (TBA).
• Regular Season Series: Tied 2-2
• All-time Regular Season Series: Florida leads 79-53-19, 10 ties
• All-Time Postgame Series: Tampa Bay Leads 2-1 (won 2021 first-round, 2022 ECS); Florida d. Lightning 4-1 in 2024 first-round.