The top two teams in the Central Division squared off Thursday night in Sunrise when the Florida Panthers hosted the Tampa Bay Lightning at the BB&T Center.
The Lightning were expected to be a top contender again this season coming off the franchise's second ever Stanley Cup championship in 2020.
The Panthers were hoping to be good after making a number of changes in the offseason.
Florida suffered just one regulation loss through its first 10 games in 2020-21 and was off to one of its fastest starts in franchise history. The Panthers looked at Thursday's matchup as a chance to validate their start and prove themselves a contender too against one of the NHL's best.
That desire showed throughout in a 5-2 victory over the Lightning, a game Florida never trailed and never lost their grip on despite a couple pushes of resistance from the Bolts.
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