It was always going to happen at some point this season. While the first two match-ups during the regular season had their tense moments and questionable hits, things hadn’t boiled over like they did in the pre-season. That wasn’t the case in Saturday’s penalty-filled 4-2 win for the Tampa Bay Lightning over their in-state rivals, the Florida Panthers.
Two goals, including an empty-netter, from Nikita Kucherov proved to be the difference, but it was the Lightning penalty killers that won the game for the road team. Short-handed for 14:16 on the night, including 9:14 in the third period alone, Tampa Bay held Florida to just one power play goal on ten chances. The Bolts even chipped in a short-handed goal early in the game.
Eetu Luostarinen gave the Panthers an early lead when he was first to a loose puck in front of Andrei Vasilevskiy. The goal came a short time after the Lightning had killed off their first penalty against. On their second short-handed attempt Jake Guentzel found himself behind the defense and beat Sergei Bobrovsky cleanly to tie the game at one in the first period.
Anthony Cirelli almost made it 2-1 on the same penalty kill when he charged at the net and the puck ended up in the Florida net. Replay confirmed that Tony Two Goals had tried to discreetly slide the puck past Bobrovsky with his hand, and the goals was taken off the board.
Pontus Holmberg eventually made it 2-1 with eight seconds left in the period when he beat Bobrovsky in a similar spot from the slot off a nice feed from Yanni Gourde. The Lightning were matching the Panthers skating for the vast majority of the period and they were rewarded with the lead heading into the break.
Kucherov scored the eventual game-winner (although there would be a lot of nonsense to follow) just over two minutes into the second period. Brayden Point busted down the ice to create a little separation and Kucherov calmly found the open space to the side of the net on the two-on-one. Point centered it and Kucherov suavely backhanded it underneath Bobrovsky’s pads.
Then the penalties began. Curtis Douglas picked up an extra minor in a fight with Luke Kunin. While Douglas won the fight on points, Florida pulled to within one as Brad Marchand (it’s always Brad Marchand) finished off a pretty passing play with his 21st goal of the season.
As the period drew to a close…well..things went a little sideways. Guentzel, who had been high-sticked (no call), hit in the head at least twice (no call) finally had enough and took a run at A.J. Greer. That touched off a team wrestling match that led to all five of the Lightning skaters on the ice picking up penalties.
The penalty time-keeper’s night was just getting started.
The Lightning killed off the power play that ensued from that fracas. Then they killed off Scott Sabourin’s double-minor after he went hunting after Niko Mikkola. Then they killed off Max Crozier’s high-sticking call that came right after the double-minor. Then, after a failed power play of their own, they killed off Oliver Bjorkstrand’s slashing penalty.
Sensing a pattern?
Another multi-player scrum led to another power play for the Panthers. That was killed. After Kucherov’s empty-net goal with 56 second left ended the mystery as to who would win, Sabourin picked up another penalty for roughing. Sabourin’s final line – 6:32 of ice time, 10 shifts, 26 penalty minutes.
Despite being down three of their top four defensemen and Brandon Hagel, the Lightning went down to Sunrise and beat the Panthers. Did they do it in a way that is sustainable for future victories? No. Is this what they are as a team? Also, no. However, it felt like they had their minds made up that not only would they retaliate to every extra shove or behind-the-play hit that the Panthers threw, they would take it to the next level.
Maybe it was a message to the league. If elbows to the head aren’t going to get called on the ice or disciplined by the league, then they were going to take matters into their own hands, no matter the consequences. Fire was fought with fire. Again. This shouldn’t be their new style of hockey, but every once in a while a team has to be willing to make a point even if it costs them a win.
They managed to, thanks to the penalty kill and Andrei Vasilevsky (who finished with 24 saves), pick up the win and an important two points. J.J. Moser showed why the organization had faith in him as he logged 22:28, including 9:40 of short-handed time on the night. Declan Carlile, who had one of his best defensive games in his short Lightning career, had 7:05 of ice time on the penalty kill.
Tampa Bay won’t have much time to celebrate, or recover from the physical nature of the game, as they take on Montreal on Sunday at 5:00 PM. It’s a quick turnaround against another Atlantic Division team. A tough season rolls on.
The Goals
Eetu Luostarinen [4] (Mackie Samoskevich, Evan Rodrigues) 1-0 Panthers
Florida goal! Scored by Eetu Luostarinen with 14:23 remaining in the 1st period. Assisted by Mackie Samoskevich and Evan Rodrigues. Florida: 1 Tampa Bay: 0 #TBLvsFLA #TimeToHunt #GoBolts
— NHL Goals (@nhlgoals.bsky.social) December 27, 2025 at 7:25 PM
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Jake Guentzel [18] (Anthony Cirelii) Short-Handed 1-1
Short-handed goal for Tampa Bay! Scored by Jake Guentzel with 06:55 remaining in the 1st period. Assisted by Anthony Cirelli. Florida: 1 Tampa Bay: 1 #TBLvsFLA #TimeToHunt #GoBolts
— NHL Goals (@nhlgoals.bsky.social) December 27, 2025 at 7:41 PM
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Pontus Holmberg [5] (Yanni Gourde, Declan Carlile) 2-1 Lightning
Tampa Bay goal! Scored by Pontus Holmberg with 00:08 remaining in the 1st period. Assisted by Yanni Gourde and Declan Carlile. Florida: 1 Tampa Bay: 2 #TBLvsFLA #TimeToHunt #GoBolts
— NHL Goals (@nhlgoals.bsky.social) December 27, 2025 at 7:59 PM
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Nikita Kucherov [14] (Brayden Point, Gage Goncalves) 3-1 Lightning
Tampa Bay goal! Scored by Nikita Kucherov with 17:29 remaining in the 2nd period. Assisted by Brayden Point and Gage Goncalves. Florida: 1 Tampa Bay: 3 #TBLvsFLA #TimeToHunt #GoBolts
— NHL Goals (@nhlgoals.bsky.social) December 27, 2025 at 8:20 PM
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Brad Marchand [21] (Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart) Power Play, 3-2 Lightning
THAT PASSING IS AS GOOD AS IT GETS 😺 All five /FlaPanthers skaters on the ice touch this puck before Brad Marchand buries it!
— NHL (Bot) (@notnhl.bsky.social) December 27, 2025 at 8:29 PM
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Nikita Kucherov [15] (unassisted) 4-2 Lightning
Empty net goal for Tampa Bay! Scored by Nikita Kucherov with 00:56 remaining in the 3rd period. Florida: 2 Tampa Bay: 4 #TBLvsFLA #TimeToHunt #GoBolts
— NHL Goals (@nhlgoals.bsky.social) December 27, 2025 at 10:01 PM
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