SUNRISE — The Tampa Bay Lightning surged back with authority after losing to the Florida Panthers merely 24 hours earlier, achieving a decisive 4-0 victory on Christmas Day at Amerant Bank Arena. The rivalry between these teams has always been fierce, and the intensity was palpable as both sides engaged fiercely on the ice.
It was clear from the start of the game, the Lightning were determined to respond after Sunday night's disappointing loss. They struck first 6:56 minutes in, with Nikita Kucherov gliding past defenders to slam home a backhanded shot over the glove of goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. Just three minutes later, Jake Guentzel blasted the puck from the high slot after receiving a slick drop pass from Brandon Hagel, doubling the Lightning's lead to 2-0.
The flurry of early goals didn't stop there. With less than four minutes remaining in the first period, Mitchell Chaffee extended the Lightning's lead to 3-0 with a power-play goal, pushing back against the limitations the Lightning had shown with their special teams previously. Following these three goals, the tone of the game spiraled as Kucherov's knee-on-knee hit on Panthers superstar Matthew Tkachuk earned him a five-minute major penalty and game misconduct.
The physical altercations escalated, with 63 total penalty minutes tallied throughout the game. Although the Panthers attempted to rally back and respond to the Lightning’s offensive pressure, it was rookie goalie Jonas Johansson, who shone brightly for Tampa Bay, putting up 36 saves to secure the shutout, his fourth career shutout, and best performance since joining the Lightning.
Florida mounted attempts to fight their way back, showcasing determination particularly within the second and third periods, consistently testing Johansson with shots from various angles. Their resilience, though impressive, failed to yield results, as the Lightning's defense stood firm.
Late in the game, the Panthers, trying to gain momentum, pulled Bobrovsky for an extra attacker, allowing Brandon Hagel to cement the victory with a shorthanded empty-net goal.
"I think we didn’t have a whole lot in the tank, but they didn’t lay over and there’s some pretty good spark there, so I’ll leave it where it is," commented Panthers coach Paul Maurice postgame, emphasizing the competitive spirit demonstrated by both teams.
Despite the loss, captain Aleksander Barkov praised the intensity and character of his team. Barkov noted, "That’s who he is. He’s incredible. He’s not going down easily... you can count on him to come back, no matter what. He’s going to come back no matter what. He’s a true warrior," referring to Tkachuk’s come back from injury within the game.
The Lightning avenged their earlier loss, successfully evening the home-and-home series at one game apiece. Now, with the holiday break upon them, both teams turn to their upcoming opponents: The Panthers will host the Montreal Canadiens next Saturday, aiming to regain their winning groove, underlining their perfect home record against them last season.
For the Lightning, this victory signifies not just skill but resilience, proving they can bounce back from adversity—a quality every NHL team strives to have, especially heading toward the middle of the season.
