Tkachuk Scores Twice, Panthers Cruise Past Lightning for 1-0 Series Lead

Matthew Tkachuk had two goals in his return to action after missing the past 25 games with a lower-body injury and the Florida Panthers took a 1–0 series lead with a dominant 6-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in at Amalie Arena on Tuesday night.

Sergei Bobrovsky had 20 saves against an offensive juggernaut Lightning squad for his 46th career playoff victory.

Sam Bennett scored the first goal of the series 3:44 into the game after redirecting a saucer pass — out of mid-air — from rookie Mackie Samoskevich to put the Panthers up 1-0.

Tampa quickly answered thanks to Jake Guentzel’s power-play goal 12:21 into the first, tying the game at 1-1. Bobrovsky made the initial save, but Guentzel was there to put away the rebound for his first playoff goal with the Lightning.

In the final minute of the opening period, Dimitri Kulikov fed a perfect pass to Sam Reinhart, who was streaking towards the net. Reinhart — who scored the Stanley Cup winning goal last season — beat Vasilevsky with a subtly top shelf tip, giving the Panthers a 2-1 lead heading into the break.

The Panthers doubled their lead 4:41 into the second after defenseman Nate Schmidt jumped into the play

The Lightning challenged there was goaltender interference on the play, but a quick review confirmed the call on the ice. The unsuccessful challenge gave the Panthers their first power play of the series.

It took just 14 seconds for the Panthers to capitalize on the man-advantage after Matthew Tkachuk to put Panthers up 4-1.

Tkachuk would get his second goal of the period less than five minutes later, beating an unprepared Vasilevskiy down low to give Florida a 5-1 lead 9:44 into the second.

At the 13:04 mark of the second, Brayden Point suppressed the damage and got the Lightning back on the board after putting a one-timer past Bobrovsky, cutting the Panthers lead to three.

Nate Schmidt reclaimed the four-goal cushion for the Panthers with his second of the night, firing in a point shot on the power play 5:09 into the third for a 6-2 lead.

The Panthers were a perfect three-for-three on the power play while the Lightning had one goal on their three attempts.

Lightning forward Anthony Cirelli left the game and did not return after taking just two shifts in the second period.

Game 2 will be on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. EST from Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL.