Florida Panthers have no answer for Tampa Bay Lightning, Vasilevskiy in blowout loss

The Florida Panthers knew this was coming. They knew the challenge ahead. They knew the Tampa Bay Lightning was going to come out firing after Florida beat them by three goals two days earlier.

“They’re probably not happy with the result of the last game,” center Alex Wennberg said Saturday after morning skate before Florida and Tampa Bay faced off for the second of three games in a five-day span. “We’re expecting a push back. It’s up to us to respond to it.”

The Lightning’s push on Saturday came in full force during the second period. The Panthers did not respond.

Tampa Bay battered Sergei Bobrovsky for four goals on 17 shots in the middle period and cruised to a 6-1 win at the BB&T Center as the Panthers closed their six-game homestand on a whimper. Florida (8-2-2) went 3-2-1 during the extended home stay, picking up seven out of a possible 12 points. Tampa Bay improves to 10-2-1 on the season.

“We just didn’t come to play tonight for the full 60 minutes,” defenseman MacKenzie Weegar said. “We were in it for a bit and then the second period came and they took it to us.”

After a scoreless first period, Ondrej Palat and Mathieu Joseph scored within 81 seconds of each other early in the second period, Palat on the power play and Joseph on a breakaway after blocking a Wennberg shot at the Florida blue line. Tyler Johnson scored Tampa Bay’s final two goals in the frame.

“I think we lost our composure when they went ahead,” Panthers coach Joel Quenneville said. “... They were a hungrier team. I don’t think they’ve had one of those games like the first [on Thursday] where they got out-played. ... They came back with a different appetite tonight.”

Alexander Volkov and Barclay Goodrow added to the Lightning’s tally in the third period.

Bobrovsky has given up six goals in two of his seven starts this season. He’s 0-1-1 in those two games and 5-0-0 in his other starts.

Meanwhile, Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy was dominant in net. He stoped 33 of 34 shots Florida put up against him one game after giving up a season-high four goals. Frank Vatrano broke up Tampa Bay’s shutout bid midway through the third period with a wrist shot from the slot on a feed from Brett Connolly. Vatrano has scored goals in consecutive games.

But it was too little, too late for the Panthers, who had a slew of chances early but came up empty. That included a four-minute power play in the first period in which they only got five shots on goal but got little traction.

“We had our chances and couldn’t score,” Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said. “They came out a little harder than we did. ... That wasn’t enough.”

MSD Strong

The Panthers held a moment of remembrance for the victims of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland prior to Saturday’s game. Sunday is the three-year anniversary of the shooting.

The Panthers play home games 14 miles from the school. On Feb. 22, 2018 — their first home game following the shooting — Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo gave a three-plus minute pre-game speech.

“I live in Parkland,” Luongo said then. “I’ve lived in Parkland for the past 12 years. My wife was born and raised in that area. My kids go to school in Parkland. When I’m done playing hockey, I want to spend the rest of my life in Parkland. I love that city. Last week was Valentine’s Day, and I was in Vancouver. We all know what happened. … No child should ever have to go through that. It’s terrible. It’s time for us as a community to take action. Enough is enough. To the families of the victims, our hearts are broken for you guys. To the teachers at the schools, you guys are heroes. I’ve been watching the news. I’ve been seeing what the kids from Douglas have been doing. You guys are brave. You guys are an inspiration to all of us. You guys are what is giving us hope for the future.”

Duclair returns

Winger Anthony Duclair returned to the lineup on Saturday after missing Thursday’s game due to NHL COVID-19 protocols. He took his usual spot on the top line with Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe and was on the ice for 14:56. He had three shots on goal.

On the road again

The Panthers play their next four games on the road. They face the Lightning for a third consecutive game on Monday, this time at Tampa’s Amalie Arena. After that, it’s a Wednesday game against the Carolina Hurricanes and a back-to-back against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday and Saturday.