SUNRISE — The Florida Panthers were without center Sam Bennett for a good part of Tuesday’s playoff game against the Lightning.
Bennett, who scored Florida’s first goal and assisted on the second, caught a shot from teammate Brandon Montour early in the second period and left the game.
Bennett dropped his stick after taking the puck off his hand/wrist and skated right off the ice.
He was not on the bench to start the third period.
Bennett scored Florida’s opening goal by backhanding a soft rebound off a shot from Matthew Tkachuk — that Bennett himself set up.
Later in the first period, Bennett was camped out in front of Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, got a loose puck in the slot and fed Vladimir Tarasenko for the power play goal.
Tampa Bay scored early in the second and then got a power-play goal from Steven Stamkos to tie it at 2.
STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS
EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (WC1) VS. FLORIDA PANTHERS (ATL1)
PANTHERS LEAD BEST-OF-7 SERIES 1-0
GAME 3
- When: Thursday, 7 p.m.
- Where: Amalie Arena, Tampa
- Local TV/National TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida/TBS/HBOMax
- Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (West Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); WCZR 101.7-FM (Treasure Coast); SiriusXM
- Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL app
- First Round (Panthers Lead 1-0) — Game 1: Panthers 3, Lightning 2 (Sunday); Game 2: Tuesday; Game 3: Thursday at Tampa Bay, 7 (BSF, TBS); Game 4: Saturday Ap. 27 at Tampa Bay, 5 (BSF, TBS, TruTV); Game 5*: Monday Ap. 29 at Florida, TBA (BSF, TBA); Game 6*: Wednesday May 1 at Tampa Bay, TBA (BSF, TBA); Game 7*: Saturday May 4 at Florida, TBA (BSF, TBA). (*) — If necessary
- 2023-24 Regular Season Series (Panthers Won 2-1) — At Tampa Bay: Panthers 3, Lightning 2 (Dec. 27); Panthers 9, Lightning 2 (Feb. 17). At Florida: Lightning 5, Panthers 3 (March 16).
- All-time Regular Season Series: Florida leads 77-51-19, 10 ties
- All-Time Postgame Series: Lightning Leads 2-0 (2021 first-round, 2022 ECS)
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