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Tampa Bay's superstars took center stage in the Lightning's 4-2 victory over the Florida Panthers in the penultimate preseason game for both teams.

Defending Hart, Art Ross and Ted Lindsay trophy winner Nikita Kucherov scored with the backhand on a breakaway 13:16 into the final period for the eventual game-winning goal and a 3-1 Lightning lead.
Steven Stamkos added to the lead 10 seconds later on a power play, lining up a one-timer from his office in the left circle for his first marker of the preseason.
The Lightning improved to 2-3-1 this preseason with one more game to play, that coming Saturday at AMALIE Arena versus Florida (7 p.m. puck drop), the third of five-straight games against the Panthers to end the preseason and start the regular season.
Tampa Bay netted four-consecutive goals after entering the first intermission down 1-0 following Owen Tippett's two-on-one breakaway finish past Lightning goalie Curtis McElhinney (30 saves on 32 shots in a 60-minute effort). Cedric Paquette got the Bolts on the board at 14:13 of the second period, the centerman intercepting a pass in front of the Panthers' net and shooting quickly to beat Sergei Bobrovsky (21-of-25 saves).
Yanni Gourde tipped Kevin Shattenkirk's blast from above the circles :28 seconds before the end of the second period to put the Bolts in the lead for good 2-1.
The goals for Paquette and Gourde were the first of the preseason for both.
Evgenii Dadonov scored on the power play with 1:40 left for the 4-2 final.
Tyler Johnson, Pat Maroon, Jan Rutta, Carter Verhaeghe, Victor Hedman and Shattenkirk all posted an assist in the victory for the Lightning. Verhaeghe, who continues to make a strong case to be included on the Opening Night roster, leads the Bolts for scoring this preseason with two goals and three assists and has points in four-straight games.
Florida had 32-25 advantage in shots. The Lightning have been outshot in five of their six games this preseason, and they finished even on shots with Nashville in the sixth contest.