In Tampa, the Florida Panthers delivered a message on Thursday night. And the Lightning were the recipients in a 5-3 win for the Panthers in Game 3 of their first round series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Panthers hold a 3-0 series and wrap it up on Saturday with a win on Tampa ice.
“So we’ve got a three-game lead, but I don’t feel that,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “I’ve always felt all these playoff games are incredibly tight. It’s tight and that’s what we’ll expect coming to the rink the next game.”
Mathew Tkachuk scored the first and final goal of the contest.
“We’re in a position right now that we would have dreamed about at the beginning of the series,” Tkachuk said. “But there have been stretches where they have played really well, and I think it’s been a really close series so far in the first three games. We’ve been getting some unbelievable goaltending, that’s really weathered the storm for us.”
He potted his first of the match midway through the opening stanza, scoring from below the right circle for a 1-0 lead.
Tampa replied with a pair of goals in the middle frame to take a 2-1 lead.
Steven Stamkos knotted it at 1-1, with 44 seconds gone in the frame. he was credited with the marker after a shot from Victor Hedman glanced off his leg.
“We had a couple of power plays that we didn’t do much with,” Stamkos said. “In a game that we got that many opportunities and they didn’t, that’s probably the difference in winning. We didn’t have the execution that we’re accustomed to. The effort was there, maybe the execution wasn’t there in certain aspects.”
Tyler Motte then pushed the Lightning into a 2-1 lead at 2:56, scoring off a wrister from high out in the slot.
“This is the playoffs, you’ve got to produce and there’s not a lot of time to think,” Motte said. “You have to turn the page and go right back to work. We’ve just got to push. Obviously, our backs are against the wall. This is when you find out who you really are.”
Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves in the win.
Midway through the second, Sam Reinhart hit from the left circle with a wrist shot to tie the game, 2-2.
At 16:30 of the period, Brandon Montour put the Panthers ahead, 3-2, scoring off a quick shot form the left point.
“Over the playoffs you’re going to get highs and lows,” Montour said. “Being at home for them, they’re going to have pushes throughout the game. We stay even keel. We’re down in the game, we kept pushing. Fourth line came up big, each line produced in many ways defensively and offensively. We got the lead and held on and kept pushing for the next one.”
Steven Lorentz stretched the advantage to 4-2 midway through the third period. He scored from in close on a chip in.
“We were fortunate tonight that we were able to contribute on the score sheet,” Lorentz said. “With the limited minutes we get, we’ve got to bring the energy and keep the group alive. This fourth line that we have with the five or six guys who have rotated through, we’re happy for each other’s success. The guys who are out of the lineup, they want to get back in just as bad, but they are happy to see us do well, too. That’s the way it’s been through the year and that’s what makes this group special.”
Paul cut it to 4-3 at 14:50 with a wrist shot from the slot off a pass by Anthony Duclair.
Tkachuk collected his double with an empty-net at 19:28 for the 5-3 final on the scoreboard.
Andrei Vasilevskiy made 26 saves in the loss.
“We were fortunate tonight that we were able to contribute on the score sheet,” Lorentz said. “With the limited minutes we get, we’ve got to bring the energy and keep the group alive. This fourth line that we have with the five or six guys who have rotated through, we’re happy for each other’s success. The guys who are out of the lineup, they want to get back in just as bad, but they are happy to see us do well, too. That’s the way it’s been through the year and that’s what makes this group special.”
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