ROOKIE SHOWCASE RECAP: Lightning 3, Panthers 2

WESLEY CHAPEL - Sunshine State Showcase Showdown.

Coming up just short in their second game of the Rookie Showcase, the Florida Panthers fell 3-2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.

“Super competitive out there,” 2025 fifth-round draft pick (129th overall) Shamar Moses said of his first Battle of Florida. “I’d say double the competitiveness as the game yesterday, so that just shows the rivalry, even with the prospects here. It’s fun.”

It did not take long for the cross-state rivals to show their lack of love.

A physical first period, the intensity boiled over quickly as Colton Huard and Grant Spada dropped the gloves.

Going down a man early, Hunter St. Martin received a game-misconduct for boarding shortly after the scrap.

Pushing through the adversity, the Panthers killed off the five-minute power play, with some huge saves coming from Kirill Gerasimyuk.

A scoreless first period, the second period saw the puck hit the back of the net five times.

At 3:50, in the second period, the ice was finally broken when Tampa Bay found the back of the net.

Providing a spark on the bench, Phip Waugh and Lucas Mercuri dropped the mitts for the second fight of the game.

Evening the score, Kai Schwindt lit the lamp with a tipped shot from Moses at 5:10.

“That was good,” said Schwindt of the goal. “It’s part of my game I like to work on there is just being a big body in front.”

Adding another just over a minute later, Ryan McAllister put in his own rebound on the power play to make it 2-1.

Answering back with a pair of their own, the Lightning sounded the horn at 16:08 and 17:50, to take a 3-2 lead into the third period.

Getting a chance to get one back, the Panthers’ two power play opportunities came up short in the third period.

Unable to find another one with the net empty, the Lightning secured the 3-2 win.

“At the end of the day we’re all hockey players, so just go out there and have some fun,” said Schwindt.