
Lightning Crush Panthers in Brutal Florida Rivalry Finale
The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Florida Panthers 6-1 to close their season series, featuring a Hagel–Tkachuk fight and a brutal on-ice clash led by Gustav Forsling. Despite injury woes, the Panthers are fighting to stay in playoff contention as Tampa Bay rides a hot stretch (19-1-1 in 21 games) and a massive goal differential, while the two teams’ feud remains a hallmark of their Florida rivalry; with 793 combined penalty minutes this season, the bad blood figures to linger into any potential playoff meeting.













