Florida grabs the Atlantic Division title, putting them up against Tampa Bay in round one.
Florida grabs the Atlantic Division title, putting them up against Tampa Bay in round one.
The Battle of Florida is on as the Lightning are now officially set to face their in-state rival in round one of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Panthers took the first spot in the Atlantic Division from the Bruins Tuesday night with their 5-2 win over Toronto, combined with Boston’s 3-1 home loss to the Senators.
The Panthers won two of the three regular season matchups between the two teams, outscoring Tampa Bay 15-9. The Lightning won the most recent, 5-3 in Sunrise on March 16. The win kick-started their push towards the playoffs.
The NHL has yet to announce the postseason schedule, but the regular season ends on Thursday. Round one is expected to start Saturday or Sunday.
The Lightning close out their regular season on Wednesday against the Maple Leafs at Amalie Arena.