Series hole gets deeper after score with 3.8 seconds left
SUNRISE — Florida badly needed a Game 2 victory Thursday in its second-round playoff series against two-time defending champion Tampa Bay. I
t wasn’t a must-win situation for the Panthers, the Presidents’ Trophy winners who were in the second round for the first time in 26 years, but it was a need-to-win situation.
The sellout crowd at FLA Live Arena went home disappointed, watching in horror as Tampa Bay’s Ross Colton scored with 3.8 seconds left to lead the Lighting to a 2-1 victory and take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Tampa Bay won the first game 4-1 on Tuesday at FLA Live Arena.
Game 3 is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Sunday at Tampa Bay.
Results have been mixed in this year’s playoffs for teams that fall behind by two games. Boston went down to Carolina 2-0 in the first round before losing in seven, but the New York Rangers fell behind Pittsburgh 3-1 in the first round before winning in seven games.
Florida fell to 0-for-25 on playoff power plays in the postseason after Tampa Bay killed off two Panthers opportunities in the third period, one early and one late. The Panthers were 0-for-4 on shots on their final power-play opportunity Thursday.
Special teams have been a concern for the Panthers in these playoffs. They were 0-for-3 on power plays in Tuesday’s Game 1 against Tampa Bay and entered Game 2 with an ugly 0-for-21 mark in the postseason.
Meanwhile, on the other side of special teams Florida entered Game 2 allowing 10 power-play goals in seven postseason games this year.
Tampa Bay was 3-for-6 on powerplay opportunities in Game 1. The Lightning were 1-for-3 on power plays in Game 2.
For a while it appeared things would go Florida’s way in the third period. Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky had a highlight-reel save on a shot by Onderej Palat late in the period, reaching back with his glove hand while falling forward to prevent a potential game-winner. It seemed to be a good harbinger, but it was a mirage.
Florida tied the game at 1-1 late in the second period when Eetu Luostarinen’s shot appeared to get caught briefly between Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy’s glove and sweater, then trickled into the goal as he tried to locate the puck.
Claude Giroux and Gustav Forsling had the assists.
The goal allowed the Panthers to breathe a bit easier and, for a short time, find their offensive rhythm. Florida, which averaged a NHL-best 4.1 goals per game during the season, took four shots in the final 1 minute, 6 seconds of the second period and nine shots on goals in the first four minutes of the third.
Tampa Bay had a power-play opportunity in the second period, but Florida’s penalty kill unit was up to the task, dropping the Lightning to 1-for-2 on the power play through two periods.
The Panthers had a power-play opportunity midway through the second period that resulted in Tampa Bay getting a shot on goal before Florida. The Panthers ended the power play with one shot on goal, that coming from Giroux.
The Panthers went on their first power play of the second period early, but it also went nowhere. They managed just one shot, by Aaron Ekblad, and it was handled easily by Vasilevskiy, who had 33 saves in Game 1.
Shortly afterward, as if sensing their team needed help, fans broke out in a full-throated “Let’s Go Panthers!” chant that resulted in a couple of shots on goal and a vicious hit by Radko Gudas on Nicholas Paul.
The crowd’s chant and renewed energy didn’t lead to a Panthers goal, but it might have awakened the home team.
Tampa Bay took a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal by Corey Perry at 12:06 with assists by Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman.
Vasilevskiy finished with 35 saves in Game 2.
The action started quickly Thursday, with Florida’s Patric Hornqvist putting Palat into the boards with a hard hit shortly after the opening faceoff, followed quickly by Florida’s MacKenzie Weegar putting a hit on Perry and Tampa Bay’s Colton hitting Carter Verhaeghe.
The Panthers ended the first period with 24 hits, while Tampa Bay had 20. Florida and Tampa Bay each had 30 hits in Game 1.
Florida ended with 36 hits while Tampa Bay had 28.
Marchment misses third consecutive game: Panthers forward Mason Marchment missed Game 2, his third consecutive absence, due to a lower-body injury. Marchment’s last appearance was Game 4 of the first-round series against Washington. He is considered day to day.