Lightning Fall Behind Panthers 3-0, End Looms

Desperation sweeps over Tampa as the Lightning fall behind the Florida Panthers 3-0 in the first round of the NHL playoffs after losing 5-3 Thursday in Amalie Arena.

Lightning Find Success, Temporarily

Tampa Bay found itself down 1-0 early in the first period. With a power play and a chance to tie the game, Lightning struck. Almost, that is.

The puck found the net for the Lightning with less than 20 seconds to go in the period, but with a quick second look the goal was called back.

A night of misfortune began there for Tampa Bay.

The Lightning jumped out to their only lead of the series early in the second period following goals from Steven Stamkos and Tyler Motte.

That would be all the time Tampa spent in the driver’s seat. A dominant 10-minutes of Lightning work translated into none other than a Panthers lead.

Sam Reinhart tied it, Brandon Montour took the lead back and from there it was the Panthers’ state once again.

Leave it to the Captain 🫡 pic.twitter.com/S4lMzD5qjN

— x – Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) April 26, 2024

Panthers Pull Away

Florida’s fourth line was able to pad the lead when Steven Lorentz slapped one in the net with 10:19 to go in period 3.

Tampa Bay was able to come back within one, but that’s as close as it would get.

Matthew Tkachuk was the man to start the bleeding, and he proceeded to put an end to his pray.

An empty netter 32-seconds left and Tkachuk iced it, literally.

The Panthers brought themselves within one of their second playoff sweep in team history.

Andrei Vasilevskiy’s Efforts Wasted, Again

Vasilevskiy has been brilliant in goal this postseason. Save after save after save, how many saves can matter when your team has only led once in a three-game series?

Circa Game 1, what was the only reason that game was close? Who would be the better pronoun in this case, and the answer is Vasilevskiy.

Again, Game 2 comes around and Vasilevskiy wills the Lightning into overtime.

Now here we are in Game 3, where Vasilevskiy made another 26 wonderful saves. Twenty-six saves, that’s the amount Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky stopped himself.

The Panthers’ pressure and offensive attack, compared with the Lightning’s, is on a level of its own.

Tampa Bay’s potential final game this season comes Saturday at 5 p.m. (TBS) in Amalie Arena.

One last chance to put out for the home crowd. Can the Lightning make it count?

Final.

📝: https://t.co/y6Ss4YQDzN pic.twitter.com/WXljlP1wn7

— x – Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) April 26, 2024