Panthers into Round 2 with Battle of Florida triumph over Lightning

The Florida Panthers won 6-3 in Wednesday's Game 5 versus the Tampa Bay Lightning to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Panthers also dispatched Tampa Bay in five games last year in the first round. The two franchises are now an even 2-2 in head-to-head playoff series after Tampa Bay won the first two clashes in 2021 and 2022.

The reigning Stanley Cup champions will face either the Toronto Maple Leafs or Ottawa Senators in Round 2.

"Every year, (the Battle of Florida) just keeps getting harder and harder," Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said, according to team reporter Jameson Olive.

Florida owned a 4-3 lead entering the third period. Eetu Luostarinen netted the insurance goal for his fourth point of the night before Sam Reinhart sealed the contest with an empty-netter.

Panthers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves on 29 shots, while Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy allowed five goals on 30 shots.

Tampa Bay has lost in the first round three consecutive seasons. The Lightning haven't won a playoff series since the 2022 Eastern Conference Final.

"They have an exceptional team," Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said.

"It was our turn. Now, it's theirs," Cooper added, according to The Athletic's Josh Yohe.

The Lightning made the Stanley Cup Final three consecutive years from 2020-22, winning the title in 2020 and 2021. Florida has made the final twice in a row.

Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling was pleased with his team's showing.

"Great feeling. I'm happy how we played in the third period and pretty much the whole game," Forsling said, according to Olive. "They came back a couple times, but we stayed with it, stayed calm, and (Bobrovsky) was huge for us back there."