It was only Game 1, but it was a tough night for the Tampa Bay Lightning. A 6-2 loss to the Florida Panthers in their playoff opener inside a packed out Amalie Arena — and just like that, the home-ice advantage they fought so hard to get is gone.
The Lightning came into the series confident they closed the gap on the Panthers, but Tuesday night, they didn’t look like the same defense-first team we saw down the stretch.
“It’s definitely a salty feeling,” said Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh. “We didn't have a great start to the series like we talked about, but it's a series, and we know we can do better. We've got another level and we'll find a way to get to that.”
The Lightning’s penalty kill, which is ranked sixth-best in the league, was picked apart — giving up goals on all three Panthers power plays.
“Our PK wasn't sharp tonight. We missed some reads, and give them credit, they capitalized,” said McDonagh. “We've got another level that we can get to. We've done it before, and our belief is there, in our system, the guys in the room, in handling adversity. It's playoff hockey, and we know we’ve got to respond here.”
Matthew Tkachuk returned to the Panthers lineup and wasted no time — scoring twice and giving them an instant push offensively. The Lightning left some of the Panthers’ best players unchecked in front of the net which proved to be costly.
Anthony Cirelli left in the second period after just two shifts and never returned.
"We gave up 16 shots, and that's usually a good night, but tonight wasn't that,” said Lightning captain Victor Hedman. “They're a good team, we know they have good players. So for us, it’s all about refocusing, make sure we have a good practice tomorrow and get ready for the next one.”
The Lightning will get another chance in Game 2 on Thursday.