SUNRISE, FL - APRIL 28: Florida players celebrate two late goals to take the lead in the third period during the Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers on Monday, April 28, 2025 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, FL
(Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire)

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Panthers eliminate Lightning in 5 Games
  • Florida awaits winner of Leafs vs. Senators
  • Read below for more on the Panthers advancing

The Panthers are the Kings of Florida once again.

The Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning met in the first round for the second straight season, and the Cats came out on top yet again.

It was another five-game series between the Panthers and Lightning. The Lightning won Game 4 last year and took Game 3 this time around for their lone victory of the series.

The Panthers announced their presence in this series with a 6-2 road win in Game 1, and they kept that going with a 2-0 shutout victory in Game 2.

The Lightning got a 5-1 road win of their own in Game 3, but the Cats came back to take Game 4 with two goals in 11 seconds in the third period. That set the stage for a potential clinching game on Wednesday night, and the Cats didn’t play with their food.

No goal was bigger on Wednesday night’s than the go-ahead goal (and eventual game-winner) late in the second period by Sam Bennett.

Eetu Luostarinen led the way for the Panthers in Game 5 with four points (one goal, three assists), with Anton Lundell scoring a goal and adding two assists himself. Bennett (goal, assist) and Brad Marchand (two assists) also had multi-point games for the Cats.

There surely wasn’t any love lost in this series with massive hits and suspensions on both sides. First, it was Brandon Hagel suspended one game for his late hit on Aleksander Barkov. Hagel returned to action in Game 4, when he was on the end of a high elbow from Aaron Ekblad. Ekblad received a two game suspension for his actions.

Ekblad served the first game of his suspension in Game 5, but it will carry over into Game 1 of their second-round series against either the Toronto Maple Leafs or Ottawa Senators. The Leafs held a 3-0 series lead before the Sens stormed back with two straight wins. Game 6 of that series is set for Thursday night.

As for the Panthers, they’ll be happy to have a few extra days off in the midst of what they hope can be their third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final. They lost to the Golden Knights in five games in 2023 before taking down the Oilers in seven games to lift Lord Stanley’s Cup last year