Panthers Fall to Lightning in Shootout

TAMPA --Steven Stamkos tied it with 5.5 seconds left, and rookie forward Brayden Point scored on his first NHL shootout attempt to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 4-3 win against the Florida Panthers at Amalie Arena on Tuesday.
The shootout went six rounds; Tampa Bay's Jonathan Drouin and Florida's Vincent Trocheck each scored in the third.

Stamkos forced overtime when he beat goalie James Reimer with a sharp-angled shot high on the short side.
"I just wanted to get a shot on net," Stamkos said. "Can I say I was going exactly for that top corner there? No, but you're just trying to put it on net and get some velocity on it, and it worked out."
Video: FLA@TBL: Point scores on first career SO attempt
Rookie defenseman Michael Matheson gave the Panthers a 3-2 lead with 4:08 remaining in the third on his first NHL goal. Greg McKegg carried the puck into the zone and around the net before he spotted Matheson at the left circle for a one-timer that beat goalie Ben Bishop through the five-hole.
"I saw that it was a delayed penalty, so I jumped into the rush," Matheson said. "McKegg] found me around the net and made a great pass."
Colton Sceviour and Trocheck also scored for the Panthers, who had won their first two games. Reimer made 25 saves in his first start for Florida.
Alex Killorn and Ondrej Palat also scored for the Lightning, who are undefeated through three games. Bishop made 28 saves.
[Video: FLA@TBL: Kucherov sets up Killorn for one-timer
Florida took a 1-0 lead at 2:38 in the second period on a shorthanded goal by Sceviour. Lightning defenseman Anton Stralman turned the puck over at the blue line, and the Panthers started a 2-on-1 the other way. Derek MacKenzie carried the puck to the right circle and fed the streaking Sceviour, who beat Bishop on the stick side.
Killorn tied it 1-1 at 6:18 of the second period on his third goal. Nikita Kucherov stripped Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad behind the net and set up Killorn with a one-timer in the slot that beat Reimer on the short side.
Palat gave the Lightning a 2-1 lead at 16:21 of the second when he took control of a loose puck and beat Reimer high. When Stamkos tried to beat Reimer with a wraparound, the Florida goalie got a stick on it, but he couldn't freeze the puck, and Palat put a shot into the top of the net from in close on the rebound.
The Panthers tied it 2-2 at 5:26 of the third period on Trocheck's second goal of the season. Reilly Smith tried a backdoor shot on Bishop, but the puck hit Lightning defenseman Jason Garrison's stick. Jussi Jokinen controlled it and centered to Trocheck, who scored high over Bishop.
Video: FLA@TBL: Trocheck chips home goal to tie game in 3rd

Goal of the game

Stamkos' game-tying goal was set up because Hedman did not have a clear shot from the point and had to pass it back to Stamkos, who was open down low but barely above the goal line. "I was shocked he was trying to shoot it," Killorn said. "The angles just don't really make much sense, but when you have a skilled player like that, you just trust in what he's doing."
Video: FLA@TBLA: Stamkos buries one-timer in final seconds

Save of the game

Bishop got his blocker on Ekblad's shot in the bottom of the sixth round of the shootout to end the game. Ekblad went forehand to backhand several times before trying a backhand shot, but Bishop stayed with him the entire time and made the save.
Video: FLA@TBL: Bishop stops Ekblad, seals win for Lightning

Unsung moment of the game

The Panthers, who were 3-for-3 on the penalty kill, held the Lightning without a shot during a 4-on-3 power play in overtime. Their active sticks prevented Tampa Bay from getting set up.

Highlight of the game

Trocheck's shootout goal initially was waved off after it appeared that he attempted a shot and scored off the rebound. But it was determined by video review that Trocheck, after whiffing on his initial shot attempt, kept the puck in motion toward the net before shooting past Bishop.
Video: Situation Room: Trocheck awarded shootout goal

They said it

"He's a good player, and the guy made a good pass down to him, and he tied it with a great shot. Obviously, you like to make those saves at the end, but sometimes it's not possible." -- Panthers goalie James Reimer on Steven Stamkos' game-tying goal
"There's not many guys in the League that can do that, and when I say 'not many,' you're talking one hand; even then, I don't know if you're getting to the thumb."-- Lightning coach Jon Cooper on Steven Stamkos' game-tying goal
Video: FLA@TBL: Matheson nets first NHL goal for late lead

Need to know

Tampa Bay is 3-0-0 for the fifth time in its history.

What's next

Panthers: Home against the Washington Capitals on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET; FS-F, CSN-DC, NHL.TV)
Lightning: Home against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET; SUN, ALT, NHL.TV)
Video: Stamkos' late goal, Point's SO winner lift Lightning