Lightning Stay Alive with 6-3 Win Over Panthers in Game 4

The Tampa Bay Lightning kept their playoff hopes alive with a thrilling 6-3 victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 4 of their first-round series. Steven Stamkos and Brandon Hagel each scored twice to lead the Lightning to victory, cutting the Panthers’ series lead to 3-1.

Brayden Point, Nick Paul, and Victor Hedman also contributed to the scoring for Tampa Bay, while goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 22 saves to secure the win. NHL points leader Nikita Kucherov added three assists to his playoff resume, while defenseman Mikhail Sergachev made a successful return from a broken leg with an assist in his first game back.

Despite goals from Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Reinhart, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the Panthers couldn’t overcome the Lightning’s offensive onslaught. Florida’s captain, Aleksander Barkov, acknowledged the tough task of coming back from a three-goal deficit but praised his team’s resilience in almost making a comeback.

The Lightning’s strong start, including a short-handed goal from Hagel and Stamkos reaching 100 career playoff points, set the tone for the game. Although the Panthers fought back with goals from Verhaeghe, Hagel, Reinhart, and Ekman-Larsson, Tampa Bay ultimately sealed the win with Stamkos’ second goal and Paul’s power-play marker.

Hagel emphasized the importance of responding to the Panthers’ pushback, highlighting the ups and downs of playoff hockey. With Game 5 set for Monday night in Sunrise, both teams will be looking to make adjustments and secure a crucial win in this heated rivalry.