After missing the final 25 games of the regular season with a lower body injury, Tkachuk eased his way back to bigger minutes, but has scored three goals in the series so far.
With a chance to score immediately, a power play from Florida’s penalty kill suppressed the lightning again, allowing a zero shot in goal in two minutes.
Finding Tampa Bay’s Thai target, Jake Guanzel made a clever move in the slot before firing a wrist shot over the net, making it 1-1 at 17:15.
Throughout one period, the Panthers led 13-3 with a 5-5 scoring chance.
Taking the first lead of the series, The Lightning went up 2-1 in the second season when he fired a shot from the right circle with a 2-1 rushing 2-1, which allowed him to enter the cage at 13:17 from the right circle with an extra shift in the offensive zone.
Throughout the central frame, physicality was increased between the two rival clubs.
With a 4-4 action, starting a third period following a multiplayer quarrel at the end of the second, Lightning extended the lead to 3-1 when Guentzel climbed up Bobrovsky and fired a shot when he got on top just 33 seconds from the period.
“I think they just did the same thing they did the last game, but our game was a bit off,” Forward Etu Luostarinen said. “I think we can do little things better and we can go from here. It’s a long series.”
Keeping the Panthers from falling into a two-goal deficit, Vasilevskiy took Barkov with a quality chance from a power play slot with just a little over 12 minutes remaining.
Opposition MVP Vasilevskiy stopped 14 of the 15 Heidanger shots he faced in Game 3.
At 14:19, Luke Glendenning scored with a strange rush, bringing the lightning bolt to 4-1.
With five minutes left in regulation, Anthony Cirelli’s empty net goal was 5-1.
Immediately after the goal, Tkachuk was evaluated for a five-minute penalty for interference to hit Guentzel after a setup pass to Cirelli. Both Cirelli and Niko Mikkola were rated as cheating in the subsequent altercation as temperatures continued to flare.
Just another game in the Battle of Florida.
“It’s been flattened for a while,” coach Paul Maurice said of the loss. “I liked the start from 1-1 to 2-1. I missed the connection with a lot of things, not far away. It was a quiet block of the game and not a prototype for our game.
They said that
“That’s what both these goalkeepers do and they’ll win the hockey game.” – Paul Maurice
“They’re a good team. They put pressure on us. They did. They score goals, they got the lead, they brought the victory.” – Alexander Barkov
“I think we just have to be smart in the neutral zone. They like to do it quickly and move the pack quickly.” – Eetu Luostarinen
Cat statistics
-Matthew Tkachuk is one of three players in franchise history to achieve 20 playoff goals.
-The Panthers led 24-14 with 50-30 on shot attempts and 5-5 scoring chances.
-Aleksander Barkov won the team’s best nine showdowns.
-Eetu Luostarinen scored a game-high 9 hits.
-Aaron Ekblad and Seth Jones each blocked four shots.
What’s next?
The series will remain at sunrise.
The Panthers, looking to take a 3-1 lead in the first round of the Eastern Conference, will be holding Game 4 Lightning at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday at 7pm.
For tickets please click here.
