Lightning Blow Out Panthers In Game 4

     The Tampa Bay Lightning pounded the Florida Panthers 6-2 in Game 4 at Amalie Arena on Saturday and lead the best-of-seven series 3-1. The Lightning can eliminate the Panthers from the postseason on Monday night. 

     Tampa Bay rocketed out to 1-0 lead three minutes into the first period on their first shot of the contest. Erik Cernak made a clearing pass from his own zone. Alex Killorn was at the red line and placed a square pass to Anthony Cirelli. He went in on a breakaway, skated through the slot and put a forehand shot by Sergei Bobrovsky.    

     The Lightning increased their lead to 2-0 at the 7:24 mark. Mikhail Sergachev moved the puck from the left point. Nikita Kucherov snapped a shot from the top of the zone and it was redirected in by Yanni Gourde from the right side of the crease. 

     Florida answered back with a power-play goal at 8:49. Sam Bennett took a snap shot from the right circle which was tipped by Patric Hornqvist in front. Huberdeau got to the rebound and scored on a wrist shot past Andrei Vasilevskiy from low left-circle dot. 

     It became 3-1 for the Bolts with 3:15 remaining in the first. Kucherov sent a diagonal pass from the left wing to Cernak on the right point. He ripped a slap shot that was deflected in by Ondrej Palat in the low slot. The Cats surrendered three goals on the Lightning's first six shots of the game. 

     In the second period, Tampa Bay converted on a power play to gain a three-goal cushion 4-1 at 5:41. Victor Hedman angled a pass from the top of the zone. Kucherov flicked a slap pass from the right-circle dot and Killorn tapped the puck in from the blue paint. It was Kucherov's third assist of the game. 

     The Lightning expanded it to a 5-1 lead at the 7:15 mark. Cirelli forwarded it down the right side from the neutral zone. Steven Stamkos raced to the puck in the right corner and connected a centering pass. Killorn scored on a one-time snap shot from the slot area. The Panthers decided to replace Bobrovsky in the net after that play. 

     The Panthers tried to stay in the game on a power-play tally and 1:15 left in the second and trailed 5-2. Huberdeau passed from the left point across to Aleksander Barkov at the blue line. He found Carter Verhaeghe ahead of him in the left circle and he lifted in a backhand shot from the low slot. 

     The Bolts made it 6-2 with the man advantage at the 4:47 mark of the third period. Killorn cycled it from behind the cage. Stamkos slid the puck from the left circle to the low right circle and Kucherov crushed a one-time slap shot for his fourth point of the contest.