Mishkin's Extra Shift: Panthers 7, Lightning 1

The Panthers came out of the All-Star Break on the wrong side of the playoff cut line, needing to pass three teams ahead of them in the Conference in order to reach the second Wildcard spot. In other words, they are desperate for points. They played like it in this game against the Lightning. They were the hungrier club and deserved the victory.

The Lightning's game was riddled with defensive mistakes. They committed costly turnovers and endured coverage miscues. They allowed seven goals (matching a season-high), but Florida's goal total could have been even higher. Andrei Vasilevskiy recorded 42 saves, many of which were high-quality stops.
The Lightning did manage to create several excellent scoring chances of their own, but Sergei Bobrovsky, making his first appearance since January 19, was terrific in making 32 saves.
In the end, though, the explanation for the lopsided final was a simple one. The Panthers simply outplayed the Lightning.
The Lightning have an opportunity to put this game behind them quickly, as they play on Tuesday night against San Jose at Amalie Arena.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
1. Matthew Tkachuk - Panthers. Two goals and three assists.
2. Carter Verhaeghe - Panthers. Two goals and two assists.
3. Sergei Bobrovsky - Panthers. 33 saves.