Eventually, a home team will win a game in this series, right?

The Florida Panthers had a chance to take a commanding 3-0 lead in their opening round series with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday afternoon in Sunrise, but it was the Bolts who got the best of their hosts.

Tampa’s 5-1 victory got them on the board in the series, which Florida now leads 2-1 heading into Game 4 on Monday night.

Despite the loss, there is still an opportunity for the Panthers to take control of the series if they can earn a split of their two home games.

There are a few things the Cats will need to address if they want to see a better result than they did in Game 3.

Let’s get to the takeaways.

COULDN’T BUILD ON FAST START

The Panthers were all over Tampa Bay in the early stages of Game 3.

A goal by Matthew Tkachuk and a healthy shot and possession advantage had the Cats and their fans feeling good about Game 3.

Then Brayden Point scored late in the first period, and things gradually began going better and better for the Lightning.

“We just went flat for a while,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “I liked our start, at 1-1 straight through to 2-1, misconnections on a bunch of stuff, not that far off it, but the energy was there, the drive, we tried to make some plays that didn't go for us, but even with that, there's nothing going on in really the game, it was just a quiet block of the game. They got a couple of knucklers on you and you’re down 3-1 and chasing it a little bit.”

PUCK MOVEMENT WAS LACKING

One area of their game that Florida is generally quite sharp is when it comes to taking care of the puck.

The Panthers have always been very mindful of how they move around the ice with the puck, making smart plays and limiting opposing transition opportunities.

Whether it was something Tampa was doing differently or just an off night for the home team, Florida had a hard time making some plays that they generally making, particularly in the offensive zone.

“I thought we stopped moving the puck as well as we can in close proximity to some things that didn’t get connected,” said Maurice. “That's not a hands thing, for me, that's more of an emotional thing. You start looking for something a little better, and it slowed our game. I thought how we moved the puck slowed our game down.”

"THIS WAS GOING TO BE A GRINDER"

During the first two games in Tampa, the hockey gods were smiling on the Panthers.

The majority of the bounces went Florida’s way, particularly around the net, which helped fuel their two series-opening wins.

Things changed significantly on Saturday, as Tampa picked up a couple goals on funky plays that swung the momentum in their favor and kept them ahead of the game for much of the night.

They also get spectacular goaltending from Andrei Vasilevskiy, who finished with 33 saves, including an eye-popping 14 high danger stops.

“I don't think we were great,” Maurice said. “I think offensively we probably generated more tonight than we did and any of the other games, at 5-on-5 from an even strength perspective. We've got lots of room to get better, I'm sure they do too, so I'm not feeling today like there's an aberration to how I thought this would go. This was going to be a grinder straight through.”

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The former New York Islander carried the puck down ice before finding Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, who fired it past Jake Oettinger for his first NHL goal since June 20, 2022:

Former #Isles Brock Nelson off the rush sets up #GoAvsGo captain Gabriel Landeskog for a magical moment in the Mile High City. pic.twitter.com/Ss8EJdyySJ

— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) April 27, 2025

Landeskog played in his first NHL game in 1,032 days on Wednesday due to a knee injury.

After it was once thought he may never play professional hockey again, he has now recorded a goal in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

The Ottawa Senators will live to fight another day.

Jake Sanderson’s overtime goal at 17:42 of the extra period gave the Senators a 4-3 victory, staving off elimination and forcing a Game 5 in Toronto on Tuesday. Sanderson played a key role, contributing both a goal and an assist for the Sens, who were outshot 35-22.

In OT, the Senators survived Drake Batherson’s double minor for high-sticking in the offensive zone. Batherson had already made one major overtime  mistake back in Game 2, so that successful kill was probably the longest four minutes of his life.

Tim Stützle, Shane Pinto, and David Perron scored for Ottawa. John Tavares, Matthew Knies, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson had the Toronto goals.

The Senators struck first midway through the opening period with a brilliant power-play goal as Stützle unleashed a one-timer from the top of the right circle. The opportunity came after Max Domi caught Shane Pinto in the head with the end of his stick during a face-off, sending the Senators to the power play. They made the most of it, taking a 1-0 lead.

Just four minutes later, David Perron nearly scored during a goalmouth scramble. However, he got a little too aggressive in the ensuing scrum and ended up taking a penalty. But the PK was on a roll in this one. Pinto broke free for a shorthanded breakaway, and he made no mistake, slipping the puck through Anthony Stolarz’s legs to give the Senators a 2-0 lead.

Toronto responded late in the second period when Tavares was left unchecked to the right of Linus Ullmark. Tavares redirected a shot from William Nylander past Ullmark, cutting the Senators’ lead to 2-1 as the teams headed into the final frame.

In the third period, Knies caught Sanderson and Zub flatfooted on a puck that dribbled out the Toronto zone up the middle. He blew past them to tie the game at 2.

Perron restored the one-goal lead on a perfect pass from Artem Zub. Standing at the right post, Perron directed the puck into the open net, much like the Tavares goal, to make it 3-2. But Toronto quickly answered again. Nylander, playing the setup man for a second time, delivered a perfect cross-ice pass to Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who fired a quick shot under Ullmark’s glove to tie the game at 3.

In overtime, after the huge four minute penalty kill, Sanderson hustled to keep the puck in at the left point along the boards and lofted a wrist shot through traffic that beat Stolarz high to the glove side to end the game and keep the Sens alive.

So, the Senators will not go gentle into that good night, but down 3-1, the road back remains long. Game 5 is on Tuesday in Toronto. 

ST. PAUL - For the fifth time in franchise history, the Minnesota Wild have failed to turn a 2-1 series lead into a 3-1 series lead. In 2022, the Wild had a 2-1 series lead over the St. Louis Blues. In 2023, the Wild had a 2-1 series lead over the Dallas Stars. 

They lost both those series in six games. They also had 2-1 series leads in 2008 and 2015.

But this team feels different. The way the Wild have played this season, it doesn't seem like this is the team that is capable of blowing a 2-1 series lead. 

"Yeah, I mean, I like our group. I liked the experience that we have from those previous playoff rounds. We’re right there, right? We had the lead and penalties. It is what it is," Marcus Foligno said. "We worked really hard tonight, and the way we answered and came back after their goal was the mental toughness that we've been showing all year. So, 2-2 doesn't scare us."

Shea Theodore got Vegas on the board early in the first after he scored on the power play. The goal on the power play was a result of a Vinnie Hinostroza high-sticking penalty on Brett Howden. 

The penalty came five seconds after Hinostroza was dumped into the boards from behind by Howden. Vegas got the power play and scored. 

Marco Rossi scored just a few mintues later to tie it. It was his second goal in back-to-back games. Rossi scored in game 3 and now in game 4. 

Despite that, Rossi only played 4:40 in the first two periods. He did not play the last 13 mintues on the secod period. 

Wild head coach John Hynes was asked why Rossi's line played only 4:40 in two periods and if it is something Rossi is doing to warant no ice time. 

"No, I think some of it goes into special teams and comes into matchups," Hynes said. "In different situations. So, we'll take it game by game here."

The Wild got the lead in the second period after Marcus Foligno scored his third of the playoffs. Mats Zuccarello fired a shot on net and Foligno grabbed it out of the air and down to his feet. 

The puck trickled to the point and Hartman fired a shot on net before Foligno banged home the rebound. 

FOLIGNO MADE THE LEAPING CATCH THEN SCORED ON THE REBOUND 😱 pic.twitter.com/5bMK9WBFoV

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 26, 2025

Vegas got a power play chance in the third period after Zeev Buium caught Mark Stone up high with his stick. Stone was bleeding bad and Buium was given a four mintue penalty for high-sticking. 

The Golden Knights had a few chances but couldn't convert. Later, Jake Middleton was defending Tomas Hertl in front of the net. Nicolas Roy then came in and hit Middleton in the face. Middleton was slow to the bench after taking Roy's stick to the chomps.

No call. 

Moments later Roy scores on the power play to tie the game 2-2.

About five mintues later, Hartman and Hertl were in a wrestling match out in front of the net. Hertl then falls on top of Hartman and Stone fires a shot off the two and into the back of the net. 

Mark Stone just pinballed? the puck off Hertl and Hartmann, who were wrestling in front pic.twitter.com/Qa3FaktVJr

— Shayna (@shaynagoldman_) April 26, 2025

"That’s something we talked about, wasted energy there," Wild captain Jared Spurgeon said on the non-calls. "Nothing we can really control. If we get frustrated with that, it bleeds into your game. To be able to just let it be as it is and work through it is something we’re trying to do."

But just 54 seconds after the Roy goal, Spurgeon scored on a wraparound goal to tie the game at 3-3. 

After a back-and-forth overtime, Ivan Barbashev was able to captilize on a mistake by the Wild in the defensive zone. 

Middleton got the puck behind the net and tried to clear the puck. He put it on the stick of Reilly Smith who found Barbashev in the slot. Game over. 

VEGAS HAS TIED THE SERIES! ⚔️

Ivan Barbashev wins Game 4 in @Energizer overtime for the @GoldenKnights! #StanleyCuppic.twitter.com/DQGSoCldst

— NHL (@NHL) April 26, 2025

Say what you want about the penalties that were and weren't called in the game. Could the Wild have gotten a few more power plays then they did? Sure. But that doesn't stop the fact that they were out-shot 46-32.  

"Yeah, I didn't have to do much. I mean, our guys are dialed in," Hynes said on non-calls. "We’ve got strong belief in how we're playing and nothing really rattles us whether you win a game, lose a game, you know our team’s been resilient all year. One of the main reasons why we're here is because a) we’ve got a great team and b) we’re resilient. We just play. And that's part of what it is, so we'll move on."

The Wild have won in Vegas already. They will have to win at least once in Vegas to move on to the second round. 

"It gives us a lot of confidence," Foligno said on winning in Vegas before. "I mean, we got to understand that we got to play the same way and play like we did in spurts of game one and majority of game two. So, yeah, we have a have a chance to go there. And, the road doesn't faze this team."

It is hard not to think about the last two playoff rounds the Wild have had a 2-1 series lead that turned into a 2-2 series lead and eventually two more wins for the oppenets.

That being said, this is a different team then the one in 2022 and in 2023. At least the Wild think so. 

"We all mature as a group, right? So those guys gain confidence after years like that, and understand," Foligno said. "The way Kirill and Bolds have been playing, it's just who they are as players. And the reason why they're top elite players. So, yeah, we're in a great series. We got our guys going. And, yeah, we feel confident going into game five."

Hynes added: "Oh man, we're in a good spot. Hard-fought battle, played well again. The game was right in our hands. Both teams competed hard. We knew it was going to be a hard series. Love where we’re at. I mean, we knew it was going to be a hard-fought series, really like our game, you know? We're here, man. We'll just keep grinding."

During this past off-season, the Carolina Hurricanes traded Jake Guentzel's UFA signing rights to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a 2025 third-round pick. Quickly after, the star forward signed a seven-year, $63 million contract with the Lightning. 

Given how well Guentzel played during his time as a rental with the Hurricanes, their hope was to keep him around. However, they could not come to terms on a deal, so they got an asset for him rather than losing him for nothing in free agency.

Guentzel had plenty of success in his first regular-season with the Lightning in 2024-25. In 80 games with the Atlantic Division squad, he posted 41 goals, 80 points, and a plus-18 rating. Now, he is making an impact for Tampa Bay in the playoffs.

Guentzel had a big performance in the Lightning's Game 3 matchup against the Florida Panthers, as he recorded one goal, two assists, and a plus-4 rating. The Lightning undoubtedly benefited from Guentzel's strong night, too, as they defeated the Panthers by a 5-1 final score.

Guentzel's multi-point game came at a great time for the Bolts, too. If the Lightning had lost this matchup against the Panthers, they would have been down 3-0 in the series. Instead, they are now only down 2-1 in the series after this win and have the chance to tie it up again in Game 4. 

Guentzel showed during his short stay with the Hurricanes that he is a star offensive talent. In 17 regular-season games with the Hurricanes this past season, he had eight goals, 25 points, and a plus-16 rating. He then followed that up with four goals and nine points in 11 playoff games for Carolina.

Recent Hurricanes News

Hurricanes Are Still In Good Spot Despite Game 3 LossThe Carolina Hurricanes had an opportunity to extend their series lead to 3-0 in their Game 3 matchup against the New Jersey Devils. Unfortunately, the Hurricanes fell short in their attempt to achieve this, as they lost to the Devils by a 3-2 final score in double overtime. With this, the Devils now have the chance to tie the series back up at home in Game 4.  Former Hurricanes Forward Has Big Game With New TeamFormer Carolina Hurricanes forward Warren Foegele signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Kings this past off-season. This was after the 29-year-old winger posted 20 goals and 41 points in 82 games with the Edmonton Oilers in 2023-24. Hurricanes' Taylor Hall Continues To Be Great AdditionThe Carolina Hurricanes acquired Taylor Hall from the Chicago Blackhawks back in late January. The 33-year-old forward had been the subject of trade rumors during the season because of his pending unrestricted free agent status and the Blackhawks being out of the playoff race early. Thus, the Hurricanes brought him in, and it's a move that continues to benefit them. 

Top Philadelphia Flyers forward prospect Jett Luchanko is coming into his own during his first postseason experience as a pro player.

Luchanko, 18, is far from a finished product, especially offensively. It may very well take him until his mid-20s to reach his ceiling in that department, but we'd be remiss to ignore the very obvious flashes the Flyers' 2024 first-round pick is displaying in the Lehigh Valley Phantoms' Calder Cup playoff run.

Believe it or not, Luchanko has made the OHL playoffs with the Guelph Storm before. Twice, in fact. The first time was his D-1 season in 2022-23, and the second was in his D0 (draft year) season in 2023-24. 

The 18-year-old had only 14 points in 46 games in the 2022-23 season, which was his first season in the OHL. Luchanko and the Storm lost to the Sarnia Sting in six games in the first round, wherein the then-fledgling had one assist.

The Storm allowed no fewer than four goals in five of the six games, and lost the first three games by scores of 5-0, 5-4, and 8-4. And, it is worth noting that Luchanko went without a shot on goal in each of the last three games of the aforementioned series against the Sting.

Despite the two wins, it was really not much of a competition.

Last year, Luchanko's Storm saw the Soo Greyhounds come in and sweep them in four games, notwithstanding Luchanko's three assists in three games to start the series.

Now, after having already made his NHL debut with the Flyers, Luchanko is in the midst of his first real playoff experience. One where Luchanko and the Phantoms have something to play for, and where games flat-out mean more for everyone.

Many of these AHL players, on the Phantoms and on other teams, are fighting for jobs. Those jobs may be in the NHL or the AHL, but they are jobs.

Luchanko himself is a candidate to make the Flyers outright again next season, but he, like his teammates, has to earn that and fight for that. This Calder Cup run is the best place for the Flyers' top forward prospect to strut his stuff before the real fun begins in training camp a few months from now.

So far, the London, Ontario, native is taking advantage in a big way.

In two playoff games with the Phantoms, Luchanko has racked up four assists, hastily surpassing the three assists he had in nine prior AHL regular season games.

Sure, the eight penalty minutes in two games is a minor issue, but everyone would rather Luchanko be involved in plays than not, for better or for worse.

Aside from his readily apparent blazing speed, Luchanko has consistently flexed his playmaking chops.

In a 5-2 Game 1 win against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on April 23, Luchanko showed one of the many things he can do at the peak of his powers.

Picking off a Penguins defensive zone turnover at his offensive blueline, Luchanko took possession of a loose puck and wheeled down the right wing boards, eventually gaining the zone 1-on-4. 

After using his speed to circle deep into the zone and behind the net, Luchanko pulled up at the left circle, whipping a pass through five Penguins defenders and teammate Garrett Wilson to find Anthony Richard at the right circle for a one-timer goal.

JETT LUCHANKO OH MY GOODNESS. WHAT A CROSS ICE FEED TO ANTHONY RICHARD.#LetsGoFlyerspic.twitter.com/icv5wbWgMF

— Flyers Clips (@Flyers_Clips) April 24, 2025

This element of Luchanko's game has been a strength of his since the Flyers drafted him in June, but the two question marks that need the most work are his shooting and consistency.

In 15 professional games between the Flyers and Phantoms, Luchanko has yet to find his first pro goal to complement his seven assists.

For instance, Luchanko failed to record a shot on goal in the Game 1 against the Penguins referenced above despite recording two assists on the evening.

In Game 2, Luchanko picked up another two assists, including the secondary helper on the game-winner scored by defenseman Helge Grans, while also adding three shots on goal.

Before this, Luchanko had gone three games in a row without a shot on goal.

Good or bad, this is all useful information for the Flyers. The more Luchanko plays, the easier it will be to pick up on his habits and pick things out to improve or continue.

In Game 2, for example, Grans enters the zone on his own before executing a drop pass to a trailing Luchanko. After pivoting inside, Luchanko makes a nice heads-up play to find Richard cutting to the back post.

Some players might opt to pull up and shoot a puck through heavy traffic, but it is clear that Luchanko's first offensive instinct is to defer and look for another pass.

Grans backhand no look game winner from HIS KNEES?! Are you SERIOUS?!#RallyTheValley | #LVvsWBS | #LVPhantomspic.twitter.com/2wIGAEq6hy

— Lehigh Valley Phantoms (@LVPhantoms) April 26, 2025

This works out for Luchanko, as he has the skill to pull off such a high-difficulty pass to create a big scoring chance for his teammate. He gets bonus points for the assist, as Grans was able to turn around and swat a juicy rebound into the goal to win the game.

At the NHL level, Luchanko will have to add more wrinkles to his game to thrive on the stat sheet, but at the AHL level, his vision, speed, and passing abilities are too hot for the average player to handle.

Luchanko's processing speed and decision-making have shown clear progress, and perhaps the Flyers' top forward prospect is willing himself to an even higher gear in these playoff games.

These are the kind of things a Flyers organization starved of playoff hockey wants to see from its up-and-coming players. Which players want to be here and want to succeed here? Who can push themselves and their teammates to another gear when the stakes are raised?

Right now, it looks like Luchanko is indeed a prospect capable of accomplishing this in Philadelphia, and that has to be an encouraging feeling for this Flyers front office.