Florida Panthers
Panthers and Lightning Rumble Again Tonight in Tampa
When these two met a few weeks ago, the Panthers rightfully felt the Lightning may have stolen one in Sunrise.
Tampa Bay, after all, was beat up with coach Jon Cooper putting a lineup together that more than did its job.
The Lightning was coming off a home loss to the Rangers — but beat the rival Panthers 3-1 in Sunrise.
“We had a plan, and we executed it,” Cooper said afterward. “It was not so much the offensive effort but the defensive effort that we knew would give us a chance to win the game. We were proved right.’’
Florida appeared to be a little too tentative, playing like a team waiting for the other shoe to drop in a heated matchup which featured 322 combined penalty minutes the previous time these two played to close the preseason.
Do not expect a similar game tonight when these two meet again in Tampa.
There could be some action, sure, but do not expect either team to play on their heels.
Yes, the Lightning are again a banged up with Victor Hedman out — but Andrei Vasilevskiy could return after missing the past six games with an unreported injury.
Vasilevskiy made 22 saves in the win against the Panthers the last time out.
Tampa Bay will also have Brandon Hagel tonight, and that alone could bring some fireworks.
The Lightning are coming off a four-game road trip in which it went a very respectable 2-1-1, getting five of the available eight points.
Just do not expected the Panthers to be lulled into a game in which they are looking for those extra circulars that have defined his rivalry the past couple of years.
If the Panthers come out playing the way they did Saturday night in Dallas, this game should be one worth watching.
Even with the Dolphins playing on Monday Night Football at the same time.
Both teams have a lot going on these days.
The Lightning, despite a rough start, sit atop the division standings tied with Detroit.
The Panthers have won four of five and are five points back of first.
ON DECK: GAME No. 32
FLORIDA PANTHERS at TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
- When: Monday, 7 p.m.
- Where: Benchmark Arena, Tampa
- Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FtL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla)
- Streaming: Panthers+, ESPN+
- Radio: WQAM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
- Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
- Season Series (Lightning Lead 1-0) — At Florida: Lightning 3, Panthers 1 (Nov. 15); Dec. 27. At Tampa Bay: Dec. 15; Feb. 5
- Last Regular Season: Tied 2-2
- Last Postseason: Florida won 4-1 (Round 1)
- All-time Regular Season Series: Florida leads 79-54-19, 10 ties
- All-Time Postgame Series — Tied 2-2: Lightning won 2021 first-round, 2022 ECS; Panthers won 2024, 2025 first-round series
