Tampa Bay begins playoff run with showdown against Panthers

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Apr 23, 2025, 01:35 IST

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The Tampa Bay Lightning are looking forward to their first-round playoff game against the Florida Panthers. With a star-studded roster headed by Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman, the team is already set on defeating the Panthers. The new additions of fresh faces are also welcomed with a lot of anticipation, so fans are in for a thrilling fight in the upcoming series of games as the Lightning push on in the playoffs.

Tampa Bay begins playoff run with showdown against Panthers

Image Source: Getty Images

The Tampa Bay Lightning are set to begin their 2025 Stanley Cup Playoff journey tonight. They are playing the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of the first round at 8:30 p.m. ET at AMALIE Arena in Tampa. Tonight, these two teams face off for the fourth time in five years in the playoffs. Both teams want to go on, and thus, this is going to be an interesting and close-knit series for fans to anticipate.

Tampa Bay Lightning against the Panthers in the opening playoff

The Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay, these two teams have been dynasties for two years, and this has created some extremely intense playoff series. The Panthers swept the Lightning in last year's first round in five games, while the Lightning won the series each of the last two seasons. Such seesaw history only fed the rivalry between the two teams, with their playoff meetings now becoming all the more thrilling.

With the two sides mere hours apart by road distance, their competition is also heightened by geographic proximity and ardent fan bases. Both sides are eager to preserve their playoff chances, and so the stakes are high. The contest this season will again be a struggle for supremacy, as both sides long for victory.

Tampa Bay turns to Hedman and Kucherov for opening round edge

As the playoffs begin, the Lightning are entering the series with a strong team and high expectations. Tampa Bay is renowned for recent playoff victories and looks to keep going in the same fashion. Captain Victor Hedman was quoted as saying that he was ready to play in Game 1. The team has taken full advantage of the extra practice days to sharpen their game plan and improve their performance.
The Lightning also has one of the league's top creators in Nikita Kucherov. Nikita Kucherov, the point leader of the regular season, will be a great force in the playoffs. His offense-based goal-scorer ability and playmaker ability for the team to succeed are instrumental pieces of Tampa Bay's playoff plan.
Aside from their league-leading proven players, the Lightning will also bank on some new faces this season. Four of them, Gage Goncalves, Conor Geekie, Zemgus Girgensons, and JJ Moser, are making their Stanley Cup Playoffs debut. They bring depth and spice to the team, and that can be invaluable in these high-pressure games.
Also Read: Matthew Tkachuk’s Return Boosts The Florida Panthers As Nikita Kucherov Faces The Mental Game Challenge

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TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

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