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Game 2 of the NHL Playoffs First Round will see the Florida Panthers take the ice against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night with a 1-0 lead in the series.
The Tampa Bay Lightning fought valiantly in Game 1 but were defeated by their Florida rivals for the third time this season in a closely contested affair.
With the Florida Panthers boasting arguably the better and healthier lineup, game two is a must-win to avoid a 0-2 deficit heading back to Tampa Bay.
Here, GOAL brings you all the information you need to know about this NHL match, including how to watch, team news, key results and head-to-head results.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Florida Panthers: Date & Puck-Drop time
| Date | Tuesday, April 23, 2024 |
| Time | 7:30pm ET/ 4:30pm PT |
| Arena | Amerant Bank Arena |
| Location | Sunrise, Florida, USA |
The NHL Playoffs First Round Game 2 between Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers takes place at the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, USA on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. The game will begin at 7:30pm ET/ 4:30pm PT.
How to watch Tampa Bay Lightning vs Florida Panthers NHL Game on TV & stream live online
The Panthers vs. Lightning NHL fixture will be broadcast live nationally on ESPN2.
If you don't have cable TV, the best way to watch almost every NHL playoff game online is with DirecTV Stream Choice. Best of all, DirecTV Stream packages all start with a five-day free trial. You need to pay for DirecTV Stream's Ultimate plan ($119.99 per month) to get all the channels you need to watch games on national channels: ABC, ESPN, NHL Network, TBS, and TNT.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Florida Panthers Team News & Key Leaders
Florida Panthers
The Panthers controlled Game One, with their attack stepping up and scoring three goals, including two in the final period to seal the win. Matthew Tkachuk (26 goals, 61 assists) and Aleksander Barkov Jr. (23 goals, 57 assists) led the top two lines with a goal and three assists each, but the rest of the offence also performed admirably.
Sam Reinhart (57 goals, 37 assists) and Carter Verhaeghe (34 goals, 38 assists) combined for two goals, while defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling also contributed two assists from the point.
Defensemen Aaron Ebklad, Gustav Forsling, and Niko Mikkola added depth to the unit with five blocked shots and five hits. In addition, goalie Sergei Bobrovsky stepped up and saved 17 of the 19 shots he faced.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Haydn Fleury (upper body), Jonas Johansson (lower body), Mikhail Sergachev (leg), Tyler Motte (lower body) and Luke Glendening (upper body) have all been listed as out on Tampa Bay's injury report.
The Lightning's offence carried them all season, averaging 3.51 goals per game, but they struggled in Game One, scoring only two. Nikita Kucherov (44 goals, 100 assists in the regular season), Steven Stamkos (40 goals, 41 assists), and Brandon Hagel (26 goals, 49 assists) led the top line with two goals and two assists, while the rest of the offence faltered. Brayden Point only added an assist in the game. In the regular season, he had 44 assists, with 46 total goals and 90 total points.
Goaltender Andrei Vasilevsky was fantastic, stopping 25 of the 27 shots he faced on the night, it just wasn't enough for Tampa Bay to pick up the away win.
Head-to-Head Record
This is the third time the Lightning and Panthers will meet in the playoffs in the last four years. Tampa Bay won the previous two series, including a four-game sweep in 2022.
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 21/04/24 | Florida Panthers 3-2 Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL |
| 17/03/24 | Florida Panthers 3-5 Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL |
| 18/02/24 | Tampa Bay Lightning 2-9 Florida Panthers | NHL |
| 28/12/23 | Tampa Bay Lightning 2-3 Florida Panthers | NHL |
| 08/10/23 | Florida Panthers 2-4 Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL Preseason |