Florida finished the showcase with back-to-back wins over Nashville and Tampa
Florida finished the showcase with back-to-back wins over Nashville and Tampa
Coming into Monday afternoon’s matinee between the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2023 Southeast Rookie Showcase, both teams had the same results in their first two games.
Florida and Tampa each lost to the Carolina Hurricanes and defeated the Nashville Predators.
With both teams at 1-1, something at to give for the Battle of Florida, rookie showcase edition.
This one went the way of the host team, with the Panthers jumping out to a first period lead and never looking back, coming away with a 3-2 win over the Lightning.
The first period was a survival period for the Panthers. Although it took a few minutes for the first shot to get on net, Tampa’s forecheck was strong and overwhelming the Panthers, causing a lot of time in their own zone.
The Panthers were on a 5-on-3 penalty kill as both Justin Sourdif and Skylar Brind’amour went to the box for tripping. The Panthers were more disciplined with their sticks as the period went on.
Florida's starting goaltender Mack Guzda stood tall between the pipes as the Lightning had seven total shots on the man-advantage, but nothing got past Guzda as he had great vision through screens.
The Panthers almost had their first shot on net as Jake Wise beat Lightning goaltender Hugo Alnefelt, but puck hit the post. Florida's first shot came 11 minutes into the game from defenseman Zachary Uens on a failed clear by Tampa Bay.
After an offensive zone penalty by Tampa Bay’s Ethan Gauthier on a hold of Mike Benning (his second drawn penalty of the afternoon) while trying to clear the zone, Panthers forward Mackie Samoskevich scored from the right face-off dot to make it 1-0 Florida at the 12:54 mark.
Florida forward Josh Davies had a screen out in front and Alnefelt could not track the puck. Samoskevich’s shot was the third shot of the game for the Panthers through almost 13 minutes of play.
Despite being outshot 16-6 in the first period, the Panthers settled down in the latter half of the frame, thanks to Guzda’s timely saves.
During the second period Panthers forward Wilmer Skoog was very noticeable, drawing a tripping call as he tried to circle from the corner to the trapezoid. On that power play, Samoskevich tried a wraparound attempt but could not connect the puck on net.
After Tampa Bay killed the penalty, 8:11 into the second period, Riley Bezeau had the puck poked off of his stick as the Panthers entered the Lightning zone.
With three Tampa Bay players around Bezeau, nobody picked up the trailer, Skoog, as he picked up the loose puck and wristed it past Alnefelt to make it a 2-0 lead for Florida.
Skoog a few minutes later off a board battle win by Jake Wise, made a backhand feed to Zachary Uens for great chance to take a 3-0 lead, but Alnefelt was there to make the save.
The Panthers were starting to get into the Lightning’s heads as Sandis Vilmanis drew a Penalty for roughing after a whistle, and Samoskevich drew a double minor prior to a faceoff after a high stick from Tampa's Felix Robert.
The Panthers had a chance to take a 3-0 lead, but Davies was unable to beat the short side post on the front part of the double minor.
One thing that both the second and the third period had was the Panthers starting the periods on the man advantage, something you’ll take if you are Florida Head Coach Geordie Kinnear.
Things got close in the third period, especially in the final minutes.
Just 1:44 into the final frame, as Waltteri Merela lost his footing while skating down the right wing wall, sent a backhand feed to Robert in the slot where he beat Guzda blocker side to cut the Panthers lead in half.
At one point Florida drew six consecutive penalties against Tampa Bay, so they really settled down after the 5-on-3, which came to an end when Davies went to the box for hooking.
Guzda was quick to his post on the penalty kill to make a stop on Merela going to his right.
The last two periods were mostly about trading chances for Florida and Tampa Bay, but the Panthers were the more opportunistic team on Monday afternoon.
They won a board battle behind the net and forward Kai Schwindt had his shot blocked, but the puck came right back to him and he fed Patrick Giles with the net open.
Alnefelt was unable to track the puck after the blocked shot and Florida extended its lead to it 3-1 at the 11:27 mark.
The Lightning never seem to go away, even in a rookie showcase.
While playing 4-on-4 hockey, Maxim Groshev retrieved a puck off the boards and had a mini-breakaway to beat Guzda on a delayed penalty call.
Defenseman Evan Nause would have gone to the box for slashing Emil Lilleberg.
Guzda was laser focused, making 33 of 35 saves in the game.
Hoping to bounce back from his .897 save percentage in Charlotte last season, he saved his best for last, stopping Groshev on a breakaway with Zachary Uens trailing attempting to backcheck.
The Panthers were also down a man in the final 33 seconds of the game when defenseman Calle Sjalin went to the box for roughing, but the Panthers escaped Estero with a 3-2 win over Tampa Bay to give themselves a 2-1 record, and for what it’s worth, a second-place finish behind Carolina.
Like the first two games, the game also had a five-round shootout.
The Panthers won the shootout 2-0 as Samoskevich and Kai Schwindt were able to convert. Florida shooters (in order) were Jake Wise, Samoskevich, Schwindt, Luke Coughlin, and Gracyn Sawchyn.
Guzda did not allow a goal in the shootout.
