**SUNRISE —** The Lightning were on the brink of leveling their first-round playoff series against the Panthers on Monday night at Amerant Bank Arena. They held a one-goal lead with just under four minutes to play in Game 4.
Had they secured the victory, the series would have returned to Tampa tied at two games each.
However, Florida struck back swiftly, scoring two goals in just 11 seconds — Aaron Ekblad found the net with 3:47 left, followed by Seth Jones. Carter Verhaeghe sealed the game with an empty-net goal at 1:40, pushing the final score to 4-2 and placing Tampa Bay in a 3-1 series deficit.
Now, the Lightning are just one loss away from elimination by the Panthers for the second year in a row.
Tampa Bay showed resilience, spurred on by the absence of Brandon Hagel, an emotional leader who was taken out of the game after a high hit from Ekblad in the second period.
The Lightning equalized with a surprising goal from forward Mitchell Chaffee, who was unexpectedly included in Tampa Bay’s lineup with 7:39 remaining in the period.
Just 11 seconds later, defenseman Erik Cernak gave the Lightning a brief 2-1 lead, using Nikita Kucherov’s moving screen to get one past Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
Once again, the Lightning fell behind early — this marks the fourth consecutive game they allowed the Panthers to score first. Anton Lundell found an open spot in front of the net and scored off a pass from Brad Marchand at 9:06 into the second period.
Panthers 3, Lightning 1
EASTERN CONFERENCE, FIRST ROUND
Game 1: Panthers 6, Lightning 2
Game 2: Panthers 2, Lightning 0
Game 3: Lightning 5, Panthers 1
Monday: Panthers 4, Lightning 2
Upcoming Games:
- Wednesday: at Amalie Arena, 7:30 PM, FanDuel Sports Sun, ESPN2
- Friday: at Sunrise, TBD*
- Sunday: at Amalie Arena, TBD*
*If necessary
• • •
Conclusion
With their backs against the wall, the Lightning must regroup quickly to avoid being ousted from the playoffs again. Will they rise to the occasion in the upcoming games? Only time will tell!
FAQs
Q: When is the next Lightning game?
A: The next game is scheduled for Wednesday at Amalie Arena at 7:30 PM.
Q: How many games are left in the series?
A: There are potentially three games left, depending on the outcomes of the upcoming matches.
Q: What happens if the Lightning lose?
A: A loss would eliminate them from the playoffs in the first round for the second consecutive year.
