Photo by Kendall Bulkiewicz | The Crow’s Nest
By Kendall Bulkiewicz
The Tampa Bay Lightning faced off against the Florida Panthers in an exciting preseason game on Oct. 2 where the Panthers secured a 2-1 victory after going into overtime.
The match began with both teams struggling to find their rhythm, resulting in a scoreless first period. Even though both teams played aggressively, neither could take advantage of their opportunities.
However, the second period brought the game to life, as the Panthers’ center Zac Dalpe opened the scoring on a power play. He found the back of the net with assists from defensemen Sandis Vilmanis and Uvis Balinskis, giving the Panthers a 1-0 lead.
As the third period progressed, the Lightning, led by right-wing Nikita Kucherov, mounted a comeback. Kucherov scored a goal, assisted by center Brayden Point, leveling the score at 1-1.
However, the Panthers quickly answered back with a goal from Vilmanis. His offensive efforts not only put the Panthers back in the lead, but also ultimately sealed the victory for his team.
The Panthers’ power play unit was a crucial element in their success, converting one of their three opportunities. On the other hand, Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy delivered a strong performance, making 23 saves despite the loss.
The intensity of the matchup, coupled with impressive play from both teams, highlighted the competitive spirit of the preseason. Notably, the physicality ramped up in the third period, as both teams exchanged heavy checks and engaged in scuffles that heightened the tension.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have their next preseason game against the Carolina Hurricanes today at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C., at 7 p.m. Fans can catch the preseason action on Hurricanes.com, though the feeds are geo-restricted to in-market viewers; alternatively, the game can be heard on 99.9 FM The Fan or through the NHL app.
The regular season home opener is approaching soon on Oct. 12 against the Hurricanes at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale now through the official team site via NHL.com, Ticketmaster, and secondary markets like Vivid Seats and SeatGeek.
Summer of change
Over the summer, the Tampa Bay Lightning undertook significant roster changes to enhance their lineup.
In May, the team signed defenseman Dyllan Gill to a three-year entry-level contract and acquired another defenseman Ryan McDonagh along with a fourth-round draft pick from Nashville for future picks. Right-wing Niko Huuhtanen also joined on a three-year entry-level deal, and right-wing Mitchell Chaffee was re-signed to a two-year, one-way contract. However, the offseason was marked by the departure of captain center Steven Stamkos, who joined Nashville after an illustrious career with the Lightning. Stamkos, a two-time Stanley Cup champion (2020, 2021), was the franchise’s all-time leader in goals and points and one of the most prolific scorers in the NHL. Tampa Bay also parted ways with defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, left-wing Anthony Duclair, and forward Tanner Jeannot as they restructured their roster for the 2024-25 season
June saw the acquisition of forward Lukas Svejkovsky from Pittsburgh in exchange for left-wing Bennett MacArthur and a trade for Guentzel from Carolina for a 2025 third-round pick.
The team also made notable trades, acquiring a fourth-round pick in the 2024 draft and a second-round pick in 2025 from the Los Angeles Kings for left-wing Tanner Jeannot, and obtaining defenseman J.J. Moser and center Conor Geekie from the Utah Hockey Club for defenseman Mikhail Sergachev.
Additionally, they re-signed key players like left-wing Gabriel Fortier, center Gage Goncalves, and defenseman Declan Carlile to contracts.
In July, the organization signed defenseman Janis Jerome Moser to a two-year contract and added Emil Lilleberg to a two-year, one-way deal. They also welcomed right winger Cam Atkinson on a one-year contract and secured a four-year extension for defenseman Victor Hedman.
Notably, center Jake Guentzel was signed to a seven-year contract, while several other players, including defensemen Tobie Paquette-Bisson, Derrick Pouliot, and Steven Santini, signed one-year, two-way contracts, and center Zemgus Girgensons was brought in for three years.
