Panthers and Lightning meet to open the NHL Playoffs

Updated Apr. 20, 2024 4:10 a.m. ET

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Tampa Bay Lightning (45-29-8, fourth in the Atlantic Division) vs. Florida Panthers (52-24-6, first in the Atlantic Division)

Sunrise, Florida; Sunday, 12:30 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Panthers -171, Lightning +142; over/under is 5.5

NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Panthers host series opener

BOTTOM LINE: The Florida Panthers host the Tampa Bay Lightning to open the Eastern Conference first round. The teams meet Saturday for the fourth time this season. The Panthers went 2-1 against the Lightning in the regular season. In their last regular season meeting on March 16, the Lightning won 5-3.

Florida is 52-24-6 overall and 17-5-4 against the Atlantic Division. The Panthers have conceded 198 goals while scoring 265 for a +67 scoring differential.

Tampa Bay is 45-29-8 overall and 12-9-5 against the Atlantic Division. The Lightning serve 11.0 penalty minutes per game to rank fifth in league play.

TOP PERFORMERS: Sam Reinhart has 57 goals and 37 assists for the Panthers. Aleksander Barkov Jr. has scored five goals and added eight assists over the last 10 games.

Nikita Kucherov has 44 goals and 100 assists for the Lightning. Steven Stamkos has scored 11 goals and added five assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Panthers: 6-3-1, averaging 3.3 goals, 5.5 assists, 5.7 penalties and 13.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game.

Lightning: 5-4-1, averaging 3.8 goals, 6.9 assists, 3.8 penalties and nine penalty minutes while giving up three goals per game.

INJURIES: Panthers: Oliver Ekman-Larsson: day to day (upper-body).

Lightning: Haydn Fleury: day to day (upper body), Tyler Motte: day to day (lower body), Jonas Johansson: out (lower body), Mikhail Sergachev: out (lower body).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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NHL - Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Florida Panthers - 04/21/2024