Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Florida Panthers Lose Top Center in Second Period

Originally posted on Florida Hockey Now
By George Richards, FHN Publisher | Last updated 4/23/24

SUNRISE — The Florida Panthers were without center Sam Bennett for a good part of Tuesday’s playoff game against the Lightning.

Bennett, who scored Florida’s first goal and assisted on the second, caught a shot from teammate Brandon Montour early in the second period and left the game.

Bennett dropped his stick after taking the puck off his hand/wrist and skated right off the ice.

He was not on the bench to start the third period.

Bennett scored Florida’s opening goal by backhanding a soft rebound off a shot from Matthew Tkachuk — that Bennett himself set up.

Later in the first period, Bennett was camped out in front of Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, got a loose puck in the slot and fed Vladimir Tarasenko for the power play goal.

Tampa Bay scored early in the second and then got a power-play goal from Steven Stamkos to tie it at 2.

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (WC1) VS. FLORIDA PANTHERS (ATL1)

PANTHERS LEAD BEST-OF-7 SERIES 1-0

GAME 3

When: Thursday, 7 p.m.
Where: Amalie Arena, Tampa
Local TV/National TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida/TBS/HBOMax
Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (West Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); WCZR 101.7-FM (Treasure Coast); SiriusXM
Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL app
First Round (Panthers Lead 1-0) — Game 1: Panthers 3, Lightning 2 (Sunday); Game 2: Tuesday; Game 3: Thursday at Tampa Bay, 7 (BSF, TBS); Game 4: Saturday Ap. 27 at Tampa Bay, 5 (BSF, TBS, TruTV); Game 5*: Monday Ap. 29 at Florida, TBA (BSF, TBA); Game 6*: Wednesday May 1 at Tampa Bay, TBA (BSF, TBA); Game 7*: Saturday May 4 at Florida, TBA (BSF, TBA). (*) — If necessary
2023-24 Regular Season Series (Panthers Won 2-1) — At Tampa Bay: Panthers 3, Lightning 2 (Dec. 27); Panthers 9, Lightning 2 (Feb. 17). At Florida: Lightning 5, Panthers 3 (March 16).
All-time Regular Season Series: Florida leads 77-51-19, 10 ties
All-Time Postgame Series: Lightning Leads 2-0 (2021 first-round, 2022 ECS)