Apr 26, 2025; Dawn, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Nick Paul (20) celebrates with middle Jake Guentzel (59) after scoring a purpose towards the Florida Panthers within the second interval throughout recreation three of the primary spherical of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Financial institution Area. Necessary Credit score: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Photographs
All of a sudden, the Tampa Bay Lightning are feeling extra alive.
Make no mistake — the Florida Panthers nonetheless lead this Jap Convention first-round collection 2-1. And the Panthers — the reigning Stanley Cup champions — will probably be at residence for Recreation 4 on Monday evening in Dawn, Fla. However no group has but to win a house recreation on this best-of-seven collection.
And Tampa Bay’s 5-1 win in Dawn, Fla., on Saturday afternoon has given the Lightning a spark. Previous to Saturday’s win, the Lightning had misplaced seven of their final eight playoff video games.
Abruptly — after that one win — the Lightning have a brand new angle.
“It was an enormous win for our group,” Lightning ahead Jake Guentzel mentioned. “It provides us some confidence and a few life on this collection.
“But it surely’s just one recreation. We now have to be prepared for the following one.”
The Lightning by no means led within the first two video games of this collection. They fell behind once more on Saturday and did not take their first lead till Nick Paul scored at 13:17 of the second interval.
“Getting the lead is large,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper mentioned. “We had been down 1-0 (on Saturday), and (Florida’s) constructing was buzzing.
“I feel the psychological power of our group. … We ultimately tied it, after which we pierced that bubble, lastly had the lead.”
Certainly, after scoring a complete of two targets within the first two video games, the Lightning all of a sudden have some scorching gamers. Nikita Kucherov, for instance, had three assists on Saturday and Guentzel had one purpose and two assists.
Kucherov has registered at the very least three assists in 11 profession playoff video games. Solely Wayne Gretzky (28 occasions) and Mark Messier (12) have had extra. Paul Coffey and Doug Gilmour match Kucherov’s 11 video games.
In the meantime, the Panthers will not panic after only one loss. That is the primary message from captain Aleksander Barkov.
“We’ll study lots from (Saturday’s) recreation,” Barkov mentioned. “We had an important begin (on Saturday) and did the correct issues.
“However (the Lightning) are an important group. They performed rather well. … All we will take from that is to study.”
The Panthers managed solely Matthew Tkachuk’s purpose in Saturday’s first interval. However this can be a harmful group able to far more.
Throughout the common season, Sam Reinhart led Florida in targets (39) and factors (81). He additionally led the group in power-play targets (13) and short-handed scores (5). Barkov led the group in assists (51) and power-play assists (19). Tkachuk missed 30 video games attributable to accidents, however nonetheless completed with 22 targets and 35 assists.
Sam Bennett (25) and Carter Verhaeghe (20) additionally joined Reinhart, Barkov and Tkachuk in Florida’s 20-goal membership.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice mentioned he appreciated how his group began on Saturday, however nothing a lot went proper for Florida within the closing two intervals.
“I believed we stopped transferring the puck the best way we will,” Maurice mentioned. “I do not assume we had been nice. However, offensively, I feel we generated extra on Saturday than in both of the primary two video games.
“We now have a number of room to get higher. … That is going to be a grinder of a collection.”
–Area Stage Media