The Florida Panthers were looking to build off their shutout win in Dallas as they wrapped up their road trip in Tampa on Monday night.
They certainly did so, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning by a final of 5-2 to wrap up their four-game road trip through three different time zones.
Florida’s penalty kill came into Monday killing 21 of their last 22 penalties, and after creating multiple chances in their last game, they were able to convert minutes into the hockey game, thanks to Sam Reinhart.
On a quick odd man rush, the Bolts were drawing more towards Anton Lundell, Reinhart saw a clear shooting lane and converted.
His 16th of the season and third short handed.
Reinhart scored his 13th short handed goal as a Panthers, tying Aleksander Barkov for second most in franchise history.
Radek Dvorak holds the franchise short handed goal record at 16.
It didn’t take long for the Cats to add to their lead.
Tampa Bay had a quality scoring chance to tie the game, where Yanni Gourde hit the post, and on the same shift, Florida came up off the rush the break, and just like Reinhart earlier, Lundell came up the right wing and shot the puck before Tampa was able to close in and they beat Jonas Johansson once again.
Lundell with his 10th of the season and the former first round pick has reach double digit goals in each of his five seasons in a Panthers sweater.
Lighting owned three-fourths of the shot attempt share in all situations in the first period, but were unable to find the back of the net. The chances were highlighted by two saves from Sergei Bobrovsky in the same sequence on Nikita Kucherov and Anthony Cirelli.
Florida completely tilted the ice in the second period, with a good amount of their shots coming on an early power play in the second period.
Despite not scoring on the man advantage, they converted just over midway through the period.
Off a give-n-go on a zone entry, Carter Verhaeghe center the puck to a cutting Brad Marchand and connected beautifully on the tape, and redirected it in to make it a three-goal lead.
Marchand now at 19 goals on the season, where he had 23 all of last season, and on pace for 49 goals.
The dominance continued late into the frame as the Panthers won a board battle in the corner, with Mackie Samoskevich coming on the ice with the first power play unit, and wasted no time getting the puck off his stick and set up Reinhart all alone in the left circle, and his wrist shot beat Johansson to make it a 4-0 lead.
There was not going to be a second consecutive shutout for Florida, as the Bolts responded just over a minute later and before the second intermission, where Max Crozier’s shot from the point got through loads and traffic and got through Bobrovsky past the far side blocker.
That was Crozier's first career NHL goal.
Tampa Bay's momentum carried over into the third period as they got a goal on the board off a counter attack, Brayden Point hit JJ Moser as the trailer, his fake slap shot froze the Panthers defense and with Jake Guentzel parked in the blue paint, it was now a two-goal game.
Paul Maurice challenge for goaltender interference, but was unsuccessful with Guentzel's skates outside of the blue paint.
Florida went to the box for delay of game on the challenge, but did not allow them to climb back even closer continuing their run killing 25 of their last 26 penalties.
Shortly after another successful kill, it's another score as Uvis Balinskis kept the puck in the Lightning end, and fed Carter Verhaeghe down low.
Verhaeghe recognized Johansson committing down, and shot it top shelf to make it 5-2 for his 10th goal of the season, and his sixth since returning to the lineup after becoming a father, and is halfway towards his goal total from last season.
Balinskis with two primary assist's on the evening.
Guess what? The Panthers kill another penalty after Rodrigues went to the box for delay of game, not allowing the Bolts to even get close to making it a hockey game.
Florida allowed six shots on five Tampa power plays.
Florida ended the road trip earning six out of a possible eight points and are in striking distance of the final playoff spot with 50 games left.
Panthers return home as they will play eight of their next nine games in Sunrise. First on the schedule will be the Los Angeles Kings in Anze Kopitar’s final visit to South Florida as they will look to sweep the season series.
LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA
Panthers make final stop of encouraging road trip in Tampa against rival Lightning
Dominating in Dallas after getting blown out in Colorado shows Panthers turnaround could be for real
Panthers dominate in Dallas, earning 4-0 victory for fourth win in five games
Panthers Prospect Signs Two-Year Extension In Sweden
The Panthers Den: Three strong wins, a blowout loss, several Panthers heating up