TAMPA, Fla. — On to Florida.
After surviving its series against Toronto, the Tampa Bay Lightning move to the second round of the NHL playoffs to face one of its biggest rival: the Florida Panthers.
As in this year’s Presidents’ Trophy-winning Florida Panthers.
The Panthers ousted Washington in seven games to advance to the second round.
The best-of-seven series begins Tuesday in South Florida. The series moves to Tampa for Game 3, set for Sunday afternoon.
The Panthers went 3-2 against the Lightning during the regular season. In their last regular season matchup on April 24, the Lightning won 8-4. Nicholas Paul led the Lightning with two goals.
Aleksander Barkov Jr. has 39 goals and 49 assists for the Panthers. Claude Giroux has three goals and seven assists over the last 10 games.
Steven Stamkos has 42 goals and 64 assists for the Lightning. Corey Perry has scored four goals over the last 10 games.
Tampa Bay eliminated Florida in the opening round of last year’s playoffs on its way to winning a second-straight Stanley Cup playoffs.
Series schedule
- Game 1: Lightning @ Panthers - 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 17
- Game 2: Lightning @ Panthers - 7 p.m., Thursday, May 19
- Game 3: Panthers @ Lightning - 1:30 p.m., Sunday, May 22
- Game 4: Panthers @ Lightning - 7 p.m., Monday, May 23
- Game 5: Lightning @ Panthers - TBD, Wednesday, May 25 (if needed)
- Game 6: Panthers @ Lightning - TBD, Friday, May 27 (if needed)
- Game 7: Lighting @ Panthers - TBD, Sunday, May 29 (if needed)
