From the onset and throughout the game, the Panthers played fast. They played "north", taking the puck directly up ice. They had high urgency. They won puck battles. They defended hard. They took away the Lightning's time and space in all three zones. They won the majority of face-offs.
The Lightning, on the other hand, didn't play with their usual pace. They committed errors, both with the puck and without it. They struggled to apply any sustained pressure on the Panthers.
One key segment in the game occurred in the middle of the second period. Brayden Point's first power play goal cut Florida's 2-0 lead in half. But shortly thereafter, the Lightning were called for a penalty. The Panthers converted on the ensuing power play, re-establishing a two-goal lead and not allowing the Lightning to build any momentum from Point's goal.
Point scored his second power play tally in the opening minute of the third. Compared to their performance in the first two periods, the Lightning played better in the final frame. But the Panthers didn't give up much after the second Point goal. The Lightning posted only five third period shots on net after making it 4-2. They registered just 13 total third period shot attempts.
The teams will play twice more over the next few days. It's the first time this year that the Lightning have lost the first game in one of these multi-game sets. We'll see how they respond on Saturday in the rematch.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game (as selected by Bobby "The Chief" Taylor):
1. Aaron Ekblad - Panthers. PPG and assist.
2. Alex Wennberg - Panthers. Goal and assist.
3. Anton Stralman - Panthers.
