Lightning Top Panthers In Game 2

     The Florida Panthers lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-1 in Game 2 on Tuesday night in BB&T Center and now trail in the series 2-0. The best-of-seven Central Division first-round series will move to Tampa for Game 3 and Game 4. 

     It was just the 11th postseason game ever played in Sunrise. The Panthers have a 3-8 all-time record in that venue.  

     Tampa Bay got a 1-0 lead at the 4:54 mark of the first period. David Savard forwarded the puck from the right point to Alex Killorn at the right-circle dot. He sent a cross-ice pass to Steven Stamkos in the low left circle and his pass across the crease went off the right knee of Anton Stralman and into the Panthers cage. 

     The Bolts made it 2-0 with 5:02 left in the first. Nikita Kucherov backhanded a pass at the red line. Brayden Point raced down the left side, around MacKenzie Weegar in the left circle and lifted a wrist shot that hit the crossbar. Ondrej Palat hustled to the inner right circle and snapped a shot by Chris Driedger. It was the 33rd career postseason goal for Palat. 

     In the second period, Florida cut the lead to 2-1 with 5:39 remaining. Aleksander Barkov moved the puck from the left corner to  Carter Verhaeghe on the right goal line. He centered it and Mason Marchment tapped it in from the top of the crease past Andrei Vasilevskiy for his first career playoff goal.  

     The Panthers pulled Driedger from the net with 2:17 to go in the third period for an extra attacker. Keith Yandle had an outlet pass tipped away by Palat at his own blue line. Yanni Goudre ripped a forehand from center ice into the empty net with 1:25 left for a 3-1 lead.