Oh, Thank 11! Florida Panthers Rally, Win Wild Game 4

SUNRISE — When was the last time you saw a team score twice in 11 seconds? How about two teams doing it in the same game? If you watched the Florida Panthers and Lightning on Monday, you did.

Like Jon Cooper said, one team’s 11-second goal run meant a little bit more.

“Both teams had two spurts of 11 seconds that were really rewarding,” Cooper said after the Panthers pulled out an improbable 4-2 win in Game 4 over his Lightning.

“Theirs came at the end.’’

The Panthers rallied from a late 2-1 deficit with Aaron Ekblad and Seth Jones scoring 11 seconds apart to give Florida a win — and a commanding 3-1 series lead with Game 5 in Tampa on Wednesday night.

Ekblad may or may not be playing in that game depending on what the NHL has to say about his high hit on Brandon Hagel in the second period.

That hit did not draw a penalty — to the absolute ire of Cooper — allowing Ekblad to stay in the game and play the hero.

His goal off a Sam Reinhart rebound with 3:47 left tied the score at 2.

Then, Jones sent a point shot off the skate of Ryan McDonagh (with Brad Marchand charging in to clean it up, if need be) 11 seconds later to give Florida a 3-2 lead.

The Panthers went from potentially winning two in Tampa to losing two in Sunrise.

Instead, they’re in control of this series once again.

The Lightning have to win the next three to move on.

“It was exciting. We’ve been through moments like this before,’’ said Marchand, who has been on the other end of some Panthers heroics the past couple of years.

“I think the one thing that you see in the room, with the group, is just the level of calm throughout the game. … Those are the moments that you need to embrace and enjoy in playoff time.”

FLORIDA PANTHERS / FHN / MIAMI NEWS

• Will Ekblad play in Game 5? Would not bet on it.
• The Comeback Cats were back on Monday night, and Brad Marchand played a big role.
• Paul Maurice and Cooper kept their thoughts on the Ekblad hit, pretty much, to themselves.
• The Lightning need to ‘turn the page’ after a rough loss in Sunrise.
• These Panthers are a confident bunch.
• Florida made a lineup change before Game 4.
• If the end is near, the Lightning are leaving a lot of questions in its wake.
• Cooper trolled Maurice in his postgame comments on Saturday. Maurice found it humorous.
• The Miami Heat saw its season end with a historically bad loss to the Cavaliers in what turned out to be a most lopsided sweep.
• The Miami Marlins aren’t in the same financial stratosphere as the Dodgers, but gave them a run at Chavez Ravine anyway.
• Subscribe to the FHN YouTube channel to hear from the Florida Panthers throughout the postseason. Monday’s videos: Maurice, A.J. Greer, Anton Lundell, Cooper, Marchand, Jones, and Sasha Barkov. More today before the team flies to Tampa.

NHL NEWS / NHL LINKS

• Kyle Dubas said it was “time for a change’’ as the Pittsburgh Penguins part ways with Mike Sullivan.
• Should the Philadelphia Flyers make a play for Sullivan?
• The Boston Bruins are probably making contact.
• OK, how about the Chicago Blackhawks?
• The Dallas Stars lit up the Avalanche for a 3-2 series lead.
• The Colorado Avalanche were a no-show on Monday night in Dallas.
• The New Jersey Devils have their backs against the wall against Carolina.
• The Ottawa Senators need more from Drake Batherson and Dylan Cozens in order to comeback against the Leafs.
• Does Mathew Barzal want to leave the New York Islanders after Lou Lamoriello was let go?
• Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck says he is going to be better after two rough losses in St. Louis.

2025 NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND: GAME 5

FLORIDA PANTHERS @ TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING 

Panthers lead Best-of-7 Series 3-1

• When: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Amalie Arena, Tampa 
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FtL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla)
• National TV: ESPN2
• Streaming: Panthers+
• Radio: WQAM 560-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: Tampa Bay 5, @ Florida 1; Game 4: @ Florida 4, Tampa Bay 2; Game 5 at Tampa: Wednesday (ESPN2/Scripps), 7:30; Game 6* at Florida: Friday (TBA); Game 7* at Tampa: Sunday (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.

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