Panthers vs. Lightning Playoff Preview: Game 1 Sunday

For the third time in four postseasons, hockey fans are receiving a first-round playoff series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers. The two teams will compete in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference series on Sunday at Amerant Bank Arena at 12:30 p.m.

The Florida Panthers will matchup in the #NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs vs. the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 3rd time in history. #TimeToHunt #FlaPanthers pic.twitter.com/tpuDXPMA5B

— Panthers Historian (@FlaCatsHistory) April 17, 2024

Panthers Season Recap

The Panthers enter the postseason after defeating the Atlantic Division in the final regular season game on Tuesday. They jumped over the Boston Bruins and took first place with a record of 52-24-6. They look to continue their quest of unfinished business and return to the Stanley Cup Finals.

In the 2023 season, the Panthers were the second wild card and clinched a berth through the final stretch. The team defeated the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes to reach the Final before falling to the Vegas Golden Knights.

This season, Florida went 2-1-0 against Tampa Bay during the regular season. They recorded their second-best regular season and enter the playoffs as one of the favored from the East. It is the fifth straight season they have reached the playoffs.

“We’re a hungry team,” forward Sam Bennett said. “We had a taste of it. We were right there and came up a little short. We’re definitely a group that’s going to do whatever it takes.”

Your Cats are REaDy. pic.twitter.com/R78vTNTMlW

— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) April 18, 2024

Lightning History

Tampa Bay heads into the NHL postseason riding a 6-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. Nikita Kucherov reached the century mark to become the fifth player in NHL history to reach 100 assists in a season.

Despite an accomplished finish, for the first time in both teams’ playoff history, the Lightning aren’t the defending champions. It’s the first time they have made the playoffs without finishing in the top three since the 1995-96 season. They went 9-6-5 at the start of the season without their strong goalie, Andrei Vasilevskiy, who had offseason back surgery.

In 2020 and 2021, the Lightning won the Stanley Cup and reached the final in 2022, where they swept Florida in the second round. They look to bring home their third Stanley Cup in five seasons, starting a dynasty in the NHL.

Significant Players

Bennett had a breakout career-high season, recording 57 goals for the Panthers. Just as strong is forward Matthew Tkachuk, who led the NHL with a 24.5 percent shooting percentage. He recorded 55 even-strength points and ranked second among Panthers forwards in plus-minus with plus-29. Captain Aleksander Barkov holds the record at plus-33.

“I think we’re definitely one of the better teams throughout the League and we’ve shown it throughout the whole season, but we still have that underdog kind of-” Tkachuk said. “I guess, rightly so. We haven’t really proven anything. It’s just the regular season.”

For the Lightning, Kucherov has led the NHL this season with a career-high 144 points. Kucherov takes the 23rd spot in NHL history for most points in a single season.

As goalie, Vasilevskiy is 65-42 with a .921 save percentage and seven shutouts. To defend his strength as a goalie, he has earned two Stanley Cup titles and three straight trips to the Finals.

144 works of Art. ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/Ux96yNWhpi

— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) April 19, 2024

The Florida Panthers will host the Tampa Bay Lightning for the first round of NHL Playoffs Sunday.