20230228_TBLvFLA - h10318

The Panthers raced out to a three-goal first period lead and that proved too much for the Lightning to overcome on Tuesday at AMALIE Arena.
The 4-1 loss is Tampa Bay's second-straight and their fifth in their last seven games.

Brayden Point scored the Bolts' lone goal of the night, finding the back of the net in a fifth-consecutive game with a power play goal.
The Bolts were snakebitten offensively, with two successful Florida challenges wiping goals off the board. Nick Perbix had a first period goal wiped overturned due to an offside zone entry and Steven Stamkos' power play goal didn't stand because of goaltender interference.
The Lightning are back at AMALIE Arena on Thursday to wrap up the quick homestand against Pittsburgh.
Scoring Summary
1st Period
FLA 1, TBL 0
6:19 Eric Staal (12) - Josh Mahura, Nick Cousins
Florida struck first just over six minutes into the game on a redirection from Eric Staal in the slot. Josh Mahura took the initial shot from the right point, and Staal had his stick on the ice to redirect the puck upstairs on Andrei Vasilevskiy.
FLA 2, TBL 0
15:56 Anton Lundell (9) - Unassisted
At the blue line, the puck got poked past Zach Bogosian and Anton Lundell was first to it down the right wing. Lundell moved the puck to his forehand and beat Vasilevskiy with a shot to the far post.
FLA 3, TBL 0
17:37 Eetu Luostarinen (14) - Unassisted
Anthony Duclair tried to step to the front of the net, and although the Bolts managed to knock the puck away, they couldn't get it past Eetu Loustarinen in the slot. He snapped a shot past Vasilevskiy to grow the deficit to three.
2nd Period
FLA 3, TBL 1
11:39 Brayden Point (37) - Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov - PPG
Brayden Point extended his goal scoring streak to five games with a power play goal just past the midway point of the period. Crisp passing from the Bolts had Florida chasing the play, and Steven Stamkos set up Point for a tap-in goal from the front of the net.
3rd Period
FLA 4, TBL 1
19:55 Anthony Duclair (1) - Eric Staal, Nick Cousins
With the outcome no longer in doubt in the final 10 seconds of regulation, Anthony Duclair hit the empty net to round out the scoring.