MAY 18, 2021 vs. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
BB&T Center | 8:00 P.M. ET
Television: Bally Sports Florida | CNBC
Radio: 560 WQAM | 850 WFTL | 100.3 WCTH | 107.9/1370 WZTA | SIRIUSXM CH. 219 | SIRIUSXM APP & STREAMING CH. 932
PANTHERS vs. LIGHTNING
ALL-TIME vs. TBL: 71-48-10-17
ALL-TIME HOME vs. TBL: 42-16-4-10
2020-21 vs. TBL: 5-2-1
GAME 1 vs. TBL: FLA 4, TBL 5
PLAYOFFS TEAM STATS
| FLORIDA (0-1) | TAMPA BAY (1-0) | |
| GOALS FOR | 4 (T-5th most) | 5 (T-3rd most) |
| GOALS AGAINST | 5 (T-9th fewest) | 4 (T-7th fewest) |
| POWER PLAY % | 33.3 (T-2nd) | 75.0 (1st) |
| PENALTY KILL % | 25.0 (12th) | 66.7 (T-10th) |
| SHOTS FOR PER-GAME | 39.0 (6th) | 40.0 (5th) |
| SHOTS AGAINST PER-GAME | 40.0 (8th fewest) | 39.0 (7th fewest) |
| 5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % | 50.0 (T-6th) | 50.0 (T-6th) |
| FACEOFF WIN % | 49.3 (7th) | 50.7 (6th) |
CATS STATS
- Florida fell 5-4 in Game 1 of their first round playoff series vs. TBL. The Panthers and Lightning clash in the postseason for the first time in NHL history. The Cats owned a 5-2-1 record over their eight matchups during the regular season, earning all five of their wins in regulation and earning wins in each of their final regular season contests.
- Including Game 1 of the playoffs, Florida has scored at least four goals against TBL in each of the last four matchups. On home ice during the regular season vs. TBL, Florida owned a 3-1-0 mark. During regular season play, Aleksander Barkov (1-7- 8) and Alex Wennberg (5-3-8) led FLA in scoring vs. TBL. Wennberg’s five goals tied for the most by any player against the Lightning this season. On May 8, Wennberg became the only player this season to register a hat trick vs. TBL.
- In the postseason, Jonathan Huberdeau leads the Cats with three points (1-2-3). Five different Panthers registered multi-point efforts in Game 1: Barkov (1-1-2), Bennett (0-2-2), Huberdeau (1-2-3), Tippett (1-1-2), Yandle (0-2-2).
- Aleksander Barkov scored Florida’s first goal of the playoffs with a power play tally in Game 1 vs. TBL. He produced two points in the game (1-1-2), marking his first career multi-point playoff performance. Barkov has recorded points in each of his last five postseason games played (2-4- 6). Barkov led FLA in goals (26), even-strength goals (18), even-strength points (38), shots (176), and a career-high 54.9 faceoff win percentage during the regular season. He ranked second on FLA in assists (32), points (58), power-play goals (7), power-play points (19), game-winning goals (6), overtime goals (2), takeaways (39), and total time on ice (1,046:52). Barkov is the only Panther in club history to record six consecutive 50-point and 20- goal seasons. Over 11 career NHL postseason games with FLA, the 25-year-old native of Tampere, Finland, has amassed nine points (5-4-9). Over 34 career regular season games vs. TBL, Barkov has logged 28 points (5-23-28), including a point-per-game average this season (1-7-8 in 8 GP).
- Jonathan Huberdeau recorded a playoff career-best three points (1-2-3) in Game 1 vs. TBL, tying for the second-most points scored by a Panther in a playoff game and becoming the eighth Panther to post three points in a postseason contest. Huberdeau led FLA in assists (41), points (61) and powerplay points (24) for the second straight season, ranking second on the club in goals (20) and even-strength points (37) and fourth in even-strength goals (15), power-play goals (5), and shots (122). Florida’s franchise leader for assists and points has recorded nine points (3-6-9) over 11 career NHL postseason games and has produced points in four of his last five postseason games played (2-4-6).
- Huberdeau has produced 38 points (13-25-38) over 38 career regular season games vs. TBL, the most points he has registered against any NHL team. His point-per-game trend vs. TBL continued this season, logging seven points (3-4-7) over seven games against FLA’s cross-state rival.
- In Game 1, Sergei Bobrovsky posted 35 saves in his first postseason game in a Panthers uniform at BB&T Center, posting a .968 even strength save percentage. The 32-year-old earned 19 wins this season for the Cats and posted a 10-3-2 mark on home ice. Over four games against TBL while playing with CBJ in 2019, Bobrovsky owned a 4-0-0 record, 2.01 goals against average and .932 save percentage.
- The Panthers logged 54 hits in Game 1 vs. TBL, marking the second-most hits in a single Panthers playoff game since the NHL began tracking hits in 2005-06 (60 – April 26, 2012 vs. NJD). Radko Gudas led the Cats with 11 hits, his third 11-hit night of 2020-21. Gudas’ 11 hits surpassed Mike Weaver‘s franchise record of 10 (April 26, 2012 vs. NJD), registered since the NHL began tracking hits.
- Sam Bennett posted two assists, four shots and three hits in his Panthers playoff debut in Game 1 vs. TBL. Since his debut with FLA on April 17, Sam Bennett amassed 15 points (6-9-15) in 10 games. With his two assists in Game 1, Bennett improved to 17 points (6-11-17) over 11 combined games played in a Panthers uniform. On May 8 vs. TBL, Bennett set a new franchise record for points recorded by a Panthers player in their first 10 games with the club (6-9-15), passing the previous mark set by Pavel Bure (10-3-13, 1998-99). In his career in the playoffs, Bennett has produced 21 points (11- 10-21) in 31 games. The NHL Department of Player Safety suspended Bennett for one game for boarding in Game 1 vs. TBL.
- In his Panthers playoff debut, Carter Verhaeghe tallied his first career playoff goal against his former club, TBL. Winning the 2020 Stanley Cup with TBL, Verhaeghe posted five points (3-2-5) in five games against the Lightning during the 2020-21 regular season. Verhaeghe produced career-bests in goals (18), assists (18) and points (36) this season, while tied for second on FLA in even-strength goals (16). Prior to missing 13 games due to injury, Verhaeghe was tied for third in the NHL for even-strength goals (15). He tallied his first career hat trick on March 27 at DAL, scoring in three different fashions (EVG, PPG, SHG).
- Head Coach Joel Quenneville has won four Stanley Cups in his coaching career, with three won as Head Coach of CHI (2010, 2013, 2015). One of only 11 head coaches in NHL history to have won three Stanley Cups, Quenneville ranks third all-time for postseason wins by a head coach (119), five shy of surpassing Al Arbour (124) for second all-time.
- In his first career NHL playoff game, Owen Tippett posted two points (1-1-2), becoming the first Panthers rookie to record a multi-point game in their playoff debut. Tippett joined Ed Jovanovski and Radek Dvorak as the only other Panthers rookies to have recorded multi-point playoff efforts. He was the first Panthers rookie to score a goal since David Nemirovsky did so on April 23, 1997 at NYR. Tippett registered six points (2-4-6) over his final six games of the regular season.
- In his first season with the Panthers, Patric Hornqvist led FLA with eight power-play goals, including two against TBL. In 44 games with FLA, Hornqvist’s 32 points (14-18-32) matched his point total from his previous season, doing so in seven less games played. He has amassed 22 points (11-11-22) over 28 career regular season games vs. TBL. Hornqvist has played in 91 career playoff games, winning two Stanley Cup championships with PIT (2016, 2017). He scored the Cup-clinching goal in the 2017 Stanley Cup Final and has appeared in seven consecutive postseasons.
- MacKenzie Weegar produced 11 points (3-8-11) over his final eight games of the season and finished his 2020-21 campaign with a career-high 36 points and 30 assists. Finishing first among defensemen in even-strength points (31), Weegar joined Jay Bouwmeester (2005-06, 2006-07), Aaron Ekblad (2019-20) and Keith Yandle (2017-18) as the only defensemen in franchise history to record 30 even strength points in a single season. His +29 rating tied for first among NHL defensemen and marked the second-highest plus/minus rating in a single season by a Panther in franchise history, behind only Brian Campbell (+31, 2015-16).
- In Game 1 vs. TBL, Keith Yandle notched two assists He is the third Panthers defenseman in club history to record multiple multi-assist playoff games. With his second assist in the game Yandle reached 30 career playoff assists. Over five career postseason games with FLA, Yandle has posted five assists. He posted his 600th NHL point on May 10 vs. TBL, becoming the 10th U.S.-born D-man in NHL history to reach 600 career points.
- The Panthers entered the postseason owning an 11-2-1 record over their last 14 regular season games, earning victories in each of their final six games. Over the six-game streak, Florida scored a league-leading 5.00 goals per game and 40.7 shots per game, the only team averaging more than four goals per game over that span.
- Owning a 20-5-3 record on home ice this season, the Panthers owned a 13-2-0 mark over their last 15 regular season games played at BB&T Center. Florida allowed 1.93 goals against per home game over that span, the fourth-fewest in the NHL, while scoring 3.79 goals per home game, the fourth-highest in that span.
FLA-TBL CONNECTIONS
- 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 forward Nikita Gusev was selected by TBL in the seventh round (202nd overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft.
- 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.
- FLA defenseman Brandon Montour was teammates with TBL forwards Anthony Cirelli and Mathieu Joseph on Team Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Championships, earning Silver Medals.
- FLA forward Nikita Gusev was teammates with TBL goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and TBL forward Nikita Kucherov on Team Russia at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championships, earning Silver Medals.
- FLA defenseman Radko Gudas won the 2012 Calder Cup while playing for Tampa Bay’s AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals, winning alongside present-day TBL forwards Tyler Johnson, Alex Killorn and Ondrej Palat, as well as TBL GM Julien BriseBois, Head Coach Jon Cooper and Goaltending Coach Frantz Jean.
- 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.
PANTHERS PLAYOFFS LEADERS
Games Played: 19 Players (1)
Goals: Huberdeau, Tippett, Barkov, Verhaeghe (1)
Assists: Bennett, Huberdeau, Yandle (2)
Points: Huberdeau (3)
Power-Play Goals: Barkov (1)
Power-Play Points: Huberdeau, Barkov, Yandle (1)
Shorthanded Goals: –
Shorthanded Points: –
Shots: Montour (6)
PIM: Bennett (4)
+/-: Tippett (+2)
Faceoff Win % (Min. 10 faceoffs): Wennberg (61.5)
Blocked Shots: Montour/Bennett (3)
Hits: Gudas (11)
TOI/GP: Nutivaara (22:13)
PP TOI/GP: Bennet/Huberdeau/Hornqvist (3:10)
SH TOI/GP: Acciari/Wennberg (3:12)
Wins: –
Shutouts: –
TONIGHT AT BB&T CENTER
- All fans in attendance will receive a 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs rally towel courtesy of HairClub.
- Fans can enjoy a ‘Happy Hour’ on the JetBlue Tarmac and CITY Furniture Lounge from 6:30-7 p.m. ET prior to doors opening at 7:00 p.m.
- Tonight, fans will be able to give back to the Florida Panthers Foundation through the 50/50 raffle. Fans at BB&T Center can purchase 50/50 raffle tickets at select kiosks throughout the arena or online for fans who are within a 75-mile radius of the game at FlaPanthers5050.com and in the Florida Panthers mobile application. Ticket prices include: 5 for $10, 20 for $20, 80 for $40, and 300 for $100.
- FLA Live! Is the ultimate fan experience game day mobile application. Available now on iOS and coming soon to Android, fans of tonight’s game can download the application for ticket management, mobile and contactless ordering, Panthers Predict gaming and more! For details, visit FloridaPanthers.com/FLALIVE.
PANTHERS COMMUNITY HEROES
- City Furniture Military Hero: Albert Bistany
Tonight’s Hero Among Us is Korean War veteran Albert Bistany. Albert served in the U.S. Air Force for a total of four years including a two-year deployment to Japan during the Korean War. He is a recipient of the Korean Service Medal, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, National Defense Service Medal, and United Nations Service Medal.
- BB&T (Now Truist) Territory Teammate: Marjorie Rodriguez
GREAT MOMENTS IN PANTHERS HISTORY
May 18, 1996: The Panthers defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Pittsburgh Civic Arena. Scott Mellanby led FLA with three points (1-2-3), Tom Fitzgerald and Dave Lowry each tallied two goals, and John Vanbiesbrouck stopped 32 of 33 PIT shots.
