Following their Stanley Cup victory last season, the Florida Panthers` Game 5 playoff elimination of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night cemented the Panthers` current superiority in the “Battle of Florida” state rivalry. The Lightning acknowledged this shift in dominance.
Coach Jon Cooper, who saw his team eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs after a 6-3 home loss to the Panthers, admitted, “It was our turn for a while. Now it`s theirs. And it`s our job to make sure it`s our turn again.”
Cooper continued by stating, “There are only a few teams recently that truly know how to win. We were one of them, and now they are.” He felt it was unfortunate they had to face the Panthers, adding, “Whether they swept us or it was 4-1, that`s irrelevant. They beat us.”
In earlier playoff matchups, the Lightning defeated their state rivals 4-2 in 2021 and swept them 4-0 in 2022, reaching the Stanley Cup Final both times. However, the dynamic has since changed significantly. The Panthers eliminated the Lightning in five games last season on their way to winning the franchise`s first-ever Stanley Cup, and they have now repeated that feat, beating them again in five games this year.
Tampa Bay captain Victor Hedman commented, “It was the same result as last year, but it felt different this year. It felt closer. But we just couldn`t get it done. They`re a good team. So are we. Very disappointed with the outcome of this series.”
Game 5 itself illustrated the current unbalanced nature of the rivalry. The Lightning briefly held a first-period lead but surrendered it less than three minutes later. They managed to tie the score twice after Florida goals but were unable to regain the lead. Goals in the third period by Eetu Luostarinen and Sam Reinhart ultimately secured the win for the Panthers.
Lightning forward Nick Paul noted that the games were “close,” but “They found ways to win. We didn`t.”
Adding to the Lightning`s woes, Tampa Bay`s record in its last 10 home playoff games has dropped to 1-9.
The series was marked by intense physicality and nastiness, resulting in suspensions for players on both teams. Tampa Bay`s Brandon Hagel missed Game 3 due to a suspension for a hit on Aleksander Barkov. Florida`s Aaron Ekblad was suspended for two games for a hit that injured Hagel in Game 4, causing Ekblad to miss Game 5.
While all of the Panthers` key players contributed offensively in Game 5, the Lightning`s star players, winger Nikita Kucherov and center Brayden Point, did not register a point. Kucherov`s only significant offensive output in the series was three assists in Tampa Bay`s single victory; he recorded only one assist in their four defeats.
Aleksander Barkov remarked that the rivalry gets tougher each season, stating, “Every year, it just keeps getting harder and harder.” He recognized the Lightning`s past success (“They`ve won Cups. They`ve been in the finals. They know what it takes.”) and noted that the Panthers now share that championship experience. He concluded, “So it`s a really hard series. This year, even harder.”
The Panthers will advance to face the winner of the series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators, a series currently led by Toronto 3-2. Florida is aiming to replicate the Lightning`s recent historical achievement of reaching the Stanley Cup Final for three consecutive seasons (2020-22).
Coach Cooper also commented on the Panthers` growth beyond just the team, saying, “They`ve built a great fan base down there.” He recalled a time when the Lightning would have more fans in attendance at games in Florida than the home team. He praised the Panthers` organizational efforts, stating, “They`ve done a fabulous job of building a brand and building a team, and they`re being rewarded for it.”
Meanwhile, the Lightning organization will begin the process of strategizing how to once again surpass their rivals in future seasons.
Cooper finished by acknowledging the strength of the Panthers, calling them “an exceptional team. Not just an average team, but an exceptional team.” He admitted that both teams have achieved significant success but lamented that the Lightning`s recent results haven`t matched the Panthers`. He concluded, “We know where we have to go.”
