Lightning Beat Panthers

The Florida Panthers played a preseason game at home on Saturday night and were defeated by the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3 at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise. The Lightning scored on their first power play as Pavel Kubina blasted a slapshot from the top of the zone through traffic past goalie Jose Theodore, who was playing in his first preseason game for the Panthers, at 1:29. Florida responded seven minutes later as David Booth finished off a drive to the net from a lead pass by Tomas Kopecky with a wrist shot by the glove side of goalie Mathieu Garon to tie the game. In the second period, the Panthers picked up two goals in less than a minute for a 3-1 lead. They capitalized on a Lightning clear-out pass from the top of their zone as Tomas Fleischmann stopped the puck for Stephen Weiss who then send a pass to the left face-off circle where Kris Versteeg hit a one-timer in at 4:59. It was followed by a slot wrist shot by Kopecky at 5:40 off a Tim Kennedy feed from behind the cage. Tampa Bay scored on a five-on-three power play as Brett Connolly redirected a pass across the crease by Steven Stamkos at 10:27. Lightning top prospect Carter Ashton was rewarded a penalty shot four minutes later after being tripped up by Erik Gudbranson, however he hit the crossbar on a backhand shot. Tampa Bay tied the game midway through the third period at 9:01 as Tom Pyatt skated around Theodore with a backhand in the low crease area on a Mattias Ritola attempted shot. The Lightning retook the lead 4-3 at 14:40 as Ritola came in from the backside and scored into a half-open net on a Steve Downie crease pass from the end line. Nine seconds later, Tampa Bay increased their lead on a Teddy Purcell goal. The Panthers went 0-6 on the power play while the Lightning converted twice on three power plays. Florida hosts the Dallas Stars on Tuesday in a home-and-away series.