Panthers vs. Lightning Finale: 312 Penalty Minutes, 16 Ejections Marked Game

The recent clash between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning left an unforgettable mark in the preseason. The match, held on Saturday night in Sunrise, Florida, featured a staggering 312 penalty minutes, with 16 players ejected from the game. The Panthers emerged victorious, defeating the Lightning 7-0.

Game Overview: Intense Rivalry Ignites

This intense matchup followed their previous encounter just days earlier, where the Lightning had triumphed 5-2. That game had already witnessed 186 penalty minutes, ignited by an altercation involving Panthers forward A.J. Greer and Lightning forward Brandon Hagel.

On Saturday, both franchises combined for over 200 penalty minutes by the end of the second period. The significant rise in penalty minutes reflects the heated nature of this rivalry, as noted by Lightning head coach Jon Cooper, who stated it was not surprising to see such a high penalty count given the pride both franchises have in their history.

Power Play Performance

• The Lightning went 0-for-6 on power play opportunities.
• The Panthers, in contrast, capitalized on four of their 17 opportunities.

The NHL record for the largest number of penalty minutes in a single game is 419, set in March 2004 between the Ottawa Senators and the Philadelphia Flyers. Cooper mentioned the need for improvement in the team’s penalty kill given the unusual number of penalty kills they faced.

Controversial Moments

One of the most bizarre incidents of the game occurred when Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola received a game misconduct but continued to play. He even assisted on a goal scored by Jesper Boqvist, which extended the Panthers’ lead. However, this goal was laternullified due to a penalty concerning an ineligible player on the ice.

Within the first few minutes, the game saw its first major penalty when Lightning forward Scott Sabourin was ejected for a cross-check against Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad. Subsequent ejections included Carter Verhaeghe for boarding and two more Lightning defensemen for dangerous hits.

Injuries and Player Availability

As the game progressed, the Panthers found themselves down to just five forwards. Coach Paul Maurice commented on this precarious situation, while Cooper humorously noted that their bench was nearly outnumbered by coaches at one point. Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues criticized the game’s chaotic nature, stating it had devolved into farcical play.

With the preseason drawing to a close, the Panthers are set to start their season against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. They will proudly unveil their championship banner at Amerant Bank Arena. Meanwhile, the Lightning will kick off their season against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday.