Lightning snap Florida’s 13-game streak, beat Panthers 8-4

“We knew the streak they had been on,” stated Tampa Bay’s Nick Paul, who scored twice. “And we needed to return right here and be those that ended it.”

The Lightning gained their third straight, and have scored 22 objectives in that stretch.

Victor Hedman had 4 assists for Tampa Bay, which obtained two power-play objectives and a short-handed tally. Brayden Level and Cal Foote additionally scored for the Lightning, who remained alive within the race with Toronto for the No. 2 spot behind Florida within the Atlantic Division.

There have been fights, bloodied faces, bloodied jerseys, and even Florida interim coach Andrew Brunette noticed his night time finish early. Cooper shrugged it off as simply the newest chapter of Panthers-Lightning.

“The playoffs are like on steroids to what we noticed tonight,” Cooper stated. “You’ve obtained to be prepared and video games like this make it easier to.”

Sam Reinhart scored his thirtieth and thirty first objectives for Florida, which additionally obtained objectives from Brandon Montour and Mason Marchment. Spencer Knight left within the second interval after permitting 5 objectives on 17 pictures, and Sergei Bobrovsky performed the ultimate 27 minutes in internet for the Panthers.

“I assumed 5-on-5 we had been advantageous,” Brunette stated. “We simply obtained a bit of upset on the finish of our energy performs, giving up objectives. … They’re an excellent energy play group.”

And although Tampa Bay’s subsequent sport is house on Tuesday, the Lightning weren’t heading house after the sport. They’re off to Washington, invited by President Joe Biden to go to the White Home on Monday in celebration of their 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup victories.

“It’s most likely the most well-liked home within the nation,” Cooper stated. “To grasp the historical past and the good those that have occupied that home over the past couple hundred years, it’s historical past. And for us to have a chance to get inside and be part of that, it’s fairly cool. Took us a pair championships to lastly get in there.”

Florida misplaced on house ice for the primary time since Feb. 26, however remained 4 factors forward of Colorado within the race for the President’s Trophy — awarded for the very best NHL regular-season report. The Panthers have 120 factors; Colorado remained on 116 after dropping Sunday to Winnipeg. Each the Panthers and Avalanche, who had common supervisor Joe Sakic watching in Florida on Sunday night time, have three video games left.

“There’s some issues we’ve obtained to shore up, completely,” Brunette stated.

He stated he obtained his misconduct for merely asking one of many sport officers a query.

“I suppose they didn’t like that query,” Brunette stated.

Jonathan Huberdeau had an help for Florida, his one hundred and fifteenth level of the season. He’s now three factors behind Edmonton’s Connor McDavid for the league lead; McDavid had two assists earlier Sunday within the Oilers’ loss to Columbus.

The Panthers completed 34-7-0 at house, by far the very best report in franchise historical past and a very good signal for a group that has clinched the precise to play Recreation 1’s — and, if mandatory, Recreation 7’s — all through no less than the primary three rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

And the Panthers ended up as simply the second group in NHL historical past to report two totally different house successful streaks of no less than 11 video games in the identical season. The Detroit Pink Wings did it in 1995-96, each of these being 12-game streaks.

However the Lightning are nonetheless the champions, appeared the half on Sunday and get to have a good time in Washington on Monday.

“That’s one thing everybody goals of as a child,” Lightning ahead Brandon Hagel stated. “As you become old, you perceive a bit of little bit of the privilege successful groups and gamers get.”

Reinhart turned the fourth Florida participant with 30 objectives, and that meant the Panthers joined Calgary as the one group with 4 such gamers to this point this season. He additionally turned the forty sixth participant within the NHL with no less than 30 objectives this season, probably the most since 47 gamers obtained to that milestone in 2005-06.

Solely 5 franchises — Pittsburgh, Columbus, the New York Islanders, Boston and Washington — have successful streaks of 14 or extra video games. The Penguins’ 17-game run is the report, executed within the 1992-93 season. Columbus had a 16-game streak in 2016-17. The Islanders (1981-82) and the Penguins (2012-13) had 15-game streaks, whereas the Bruins (1929-30) and Capitals (2009-10) had the 14-game runs.

NOTES: Florida’s completed with 34 house wins this season, the third-most in NHL historical past. Detroit (1995-96) and Philadelphia (1975-76) each gained 36 house video games in these seasons. … The 68 factors on house ice this season for Florida smashed the earlier group mark of 58, set in 1999-2000. … Tampa Bay and Florida break up 4 video games this season, one of many Lightning wins coming in extra time. … Florida was hit with 66 penalty minutes. … The Lightning improved to 19-0-1 when Kucherov has no less than two factors in a sport this season.

Lightning: Host Columbus on Tuesday.

Panthers: Go to Boston on Tuesday.

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