Amalie Arena | 7 P.M.
Television: Fox Sports Florida
Radio: 560 WQAM | 640 WMEN | 100.3 WCTH | 107.9/1370 WZTA | SIRIUSXM STREAMING CH. 932
PANTHERS vs. LIGHTNING
ALL-TIME vs. TBL: 67-47-10-16
ALL-TIME ROAD at TBL: 27-31-6-6
STREAKS: FLA is winless in its last eight road games at TBL (0-5-3)
2020-21 vs. TBL: 1-1-0
LAST ROAD WIN at TBL: March 6, 2016 (5-2 W)
TEAM STATS
| FLORIDA (8-2-2) | TAMPA BAY (10-2-1) | |
| GOALS FOR | 37 (21st) | 50 (6th) |
| GOALS AGAINST | 35 (20th) | 26 (29th) |
| POWER PLAY % | 32.4 (5th) | 28.3 (7th) |
| PENALTY KILL % | 74.3 (25th) | 84.8 (5th) |
| SHOTS FOR PER-GAME | 31.8 (4th) | 31.2 (10th) |
| SHOTS AGAINST PER-GAME | 30.5 (12th) | 28.4 (T-22nd) |
| 5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % | 52.9 (6th) | 50.1 (16th) |
| FACEOFF WIN % | 50.4 (15th) | 49.4 (T-18th) |
CATS STATS
- The Panthers own a 3-0-1 record over their first four road games of the season. Over those four road games, Aleksander Barkov (2-2-4), Anthony Duclair (0-4-4) and Carter Verhaeghe (3-1-4) lead the Cats with four points. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky owns a 2-0-0 record over two starts on the road. All four of Florida’s road contests finished as one-goal games.
- In the games that have followed each of Florida’s losses this season, the Cats own a 3-0-0 record, out-scoring their opponents 7-4.
- Through a six-game span from Feb. 2 – 13, the Panthers lead the NHL in hits (201) and takeaways (53).
- The Panthers own an 8-2-2 record over the club’s first 12 games. Over Florida’s first 11 games, the club accumulated 18 points, matching the most points logged by the Panthers over its first 11 games in franchise history (1996-97, 7-0-4-0).
- Florida owns a 32.4 power play percentage, (11/34) Patric Hornqvist has scored a team-leading four power-play tallies, while Jonathan Huberdeau leads the club with eight power-play points. The Cats have scored eight power-play goals over their last eight games and have scored in two of their last three games on the man advantage.
- Over their last 10 games, the Panthers own an 80.0 penalty kill percentage (24/30), allowing six power play goals in that 10-game span. Noel Acciari leads the Panthers with 35:31 total of shorthanded ice time.
- Frank Vatrano has recorded goals in each of his last two games and has produced three points over his last four games (2-1-3). Over that four-game span, Vatrano has registered 10 shots on goal.
- Jonathan Huberdeau enters tonight’s game as the Panthers leader in points (4-11-15) and assists (11). Huberdeau’s 15 points (4-11-15 in 11 GP) matched Scott Mellanby (8-7-15 in 11 GP) in 1995-96, for the most points through Florida’s first 11 games of a season.
- Aaron Ekblad leads the Panthers with a team-high average 24:51 TOI per game. The native of Windsor, Ontario, has logged a team-leading total 298:06 of ice time over the club’s 12 games played. Over the 12-game span, Ekblad has recorded nine points (4-5-9). T
- Aleksander Barkov has registered 12 points (4-8-12) over Florida’s first 12 games of the season and has produced eight points (3-5-8) over his last eight games. With an assist on Feb. 11 vs. TBL, Barkov registered his 419th NHL point, tying Olli Jokinen for second in franchise history for points.
- Alex Wennberg enters tonight’s game with three goals and four points over his last four games. His three-game goal streak from Feb. 9-Feb. 11 is tied for the longest by a Panther this season.
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
– Feb. 9: F Ryan Lomberg added to active roster from FLA Taxi Squad
– Feb. 8: F Mason Marchment assigned to FLA Taxi Squad
– Feb. 7: F Scott Wilson reassigned to FLA Taxi Squad from Syracuse (AHL), F Mason Marchment recalled from FLA Taxi Squad
FLA-TBL CONNECTIONS
- FLA forward Brett Connolly was selected by TBL in the first round (6th overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft. He played 134 games for TBL (2011-12 to 2014-15), recording 32 points (18-14-32).
- FLA defenseman Radko Gudas was selected by TBL in the third round (66th overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft. He played 126 games for TBL (2012-13 to 2014-15), producing 32 pts (7-25-32).
- FLA defenseman Anton Stralman played 355 games for TBL (2014-15 to 2018-19), amassing 130 points (29-101-130). Stralman went to the 2015 Stanley Cup Final with TBL, recording 10 points (1-9-10) over 26 games during the 2014-15 Stanley Cup playoffs.
- FLA forward Carter Verhaeghe played 52 games for TBL (2019-20), notching 13 points (9-4-13). He won the 2020 Stanley Cup with TBL, producing two assists over eight postseason games.
- FLA goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (2013-14 to 2016-17), FLA forward Alex Wennberg (2014-15 to 2016-17) and FLA defenseman Markus Nutivaara (2016-17) were teammates with TBL goaltender Curtis McElhinney on CBJ.
- FLA defenseman Anton Stralman was teammates with TBL defenseman Ryan McDonagh on NYR from 2011-12 to 2013-14, including an appearance in the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.
- FLA goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was teammates with TBL goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and TBL forward Nikita Kucherov on Team Russia at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
- TBL Head Coach Jon Cooper served as Assistant Coach on Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey which included FLA defenseman Aaron Ekblad.
- FLA defenseman Anton Stralman and TBL defenseman Victor Hedman were teammates on Team Sweden at the 2017 IIHF World Championships, earning Gold Medals.
- FLA forward Anthony Duclair and TBL forward Brayden Point were teammates on Team Canada at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championships, earning Gold Medals.
- FLA forward Carter Verhaeghe and TBL forward Gemel Smith share the hometown of Toronto, Ontario.
- FLA forward Owen Tippett and TBL forward Mitchell Stephens are cousins and share the hometown of Peterborough, Ontario.
- FLA forward Alex Wennberg and TBL defenseman Andreas Borgman share the hometown of Stockholm, Sweden.
- FLA Senior Advisor to the General Manager Rick Dudley served as General Manager of TBL from 1999-00 to 2001-02.
CHASING FRANCHISE HISTORY
| Franchise Goals | Franchise Assists | Franchise Points |
| 1. Olli Jokinen (188) | 1. Jonathan Huberdeau (300) | 1. Jonathan Huberdeau (452) |
| 2. Aleksander Barkov (159) | 2. Aleksander Barkov (260) | T-2. Olli Jokinen (419) |
| 3. Scott Mellanby (157) | 3. Stephen Weiss (249) | T-2. Aleksander Barkov (419) |
| T-4. Jonathan Huberdeau (152) | 4. Olli Jokinen (231) | 4. Stephen Weiss (394) |
| T-4. Pavel Bure (152) | 5. Robert Svehla (229) | 5. Scott Mellanby (354) |
PANTHERS LEADERS
Games Played: 13 Players (12)
Goals: Verhaeghe (7)
Assists: Huberdeau (11)
Points: Huberdeau (15)
Power-Play Goals: Hornqvist (4)
Power-Play Points: Huberdeau (8)
Shorthanded Goals: –
Shorthanded Points: –
Shots: Barkov (43)
PIM: Yandle (18)
+/-: Gudas (+6)
Faceoff Win % (Min. 100 faceoffs): Barkov (55.8)
Blocked Shots: Acciari (18)
Hits: Gudas (64)
TOI/GP: Ekblad (24:51)
PP TOI/GP: Yandle (3:23)
SH TOI/GP: Acciari (2:58)
Wins: Bobrovsky (5)
Shutouts: –
ACTIVE STREAKS
Goal Streak Vatrano (2 Games, 2 Goals)
Assist Streak Luostarinen (2 Games, 2 Assists)
Point Streak Vatrano (2 Games, 2-0-2), Connolly (2 Games, 1-1-2), Luostarinen (2 Games, 0-2-2)
APPROACHING MILESTONES
Juho Lammikko…1st NHL Goal
Ryan Lomberg…1st NHL Goal
Brett Connolly…1 Goal Away…100th NHL Goal
Radko Gudas…5 Assists Away…100th NHL Assist
Aleksander Barkov…9 Games Away…500th NHL Game
Brett Connolly…9 Assists Away…100th NHL Assist
Patric Hornqvist…9 Points Away…500th NHL Point
Radko Gudas…9 Games Away…500th NHL Game
Brett Connolly…10 Points Away…200th NHL Point
