Vasilievskiy's 47 Saves Lead Tampa Bay Lightning to a 5-3 Victory Over Florida Panthers

Saturday, March 16th, 2024

Steven Stamkos netted two goals, while Andrei Vasilevskiy blocked 47 shots, leading the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 5-3 victory over the Florida Panthers this past Saturday. The win also featured goals from Darren Raddysh, Michael Eyssimont, and Nikita Kucherov, contributing to the Lightning's successful streak of winning four out of their last five games.

In a challenging second period, Vasilevskiy was outstanding, saving 16 shots as the Lightning were heavily outshot by the Panthers 18-3. Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman praised Vasilevskiy, acknowledging his crucial role and elite status as a goaltender in the league.

The Lightning now stands four points clear of the Detroit Red Wings, claiming the top wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Panthers, despite recent successes, experienced their second consecutive loss, following a strong phase of winning eight out of nine games. For the Panthers, Sam Reinhart scored twice and Matthew Tkachuk contributed a goal and an assist.

The Panthers were disadvantaged when a goal by Josh Mahura was discounted due to Dmitry Kulikov receiving a match penalty for elbowing. Stamkos swiftly scored 20 seconds into the game, followed by Eyssimont extending the lead. Tkachuk managed to score for the Panthers, and Reinhart's power-play goal brought the score to 4-2. Reinhart's effort brought the Panthers close towards the end, but Kucherov's empty-net goal affirmed the Lightning's win.

Looking ahead:

The Lightning will play against Vegas on Tuesday night, while the Panthers are set to face Nashville on Thursday night.

Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning Game Stats

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