Johansson made numerous key stops on breakaways in the game, one in which Florida outshot the Lightning 28 to 14 across the final two periods. Johansson’s 36-save shutout was his first of the season. Johansson has won his last three starts and boasts a .966 save percentage in those games.

Florida Panthers left-wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) lies on the ice after being injured from a hit by Tampa Bay Lightning right-wing Nikita Kucherov (86) during the first period of an NHL game at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday, December 23, 2024, in Sunrise, Florida. David Santiago [email protected]

From losing its star player to killing off several penalties to the scuffles in between, Tampa Bay comes together as a group to defeat its rival.

There are two NHL teams in Florida: the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning. They are separated by about 250 miles and have been fierce rivals since the Panthers joined the NHL for the 1993-94 season. The Lightning joined the League a season earlier.

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers renew their heated rivalry on Sunday at Amalie Arena. The two teams faced off in a thrilling first-round playoff series earlier this year, with the Panthers emerging victorious.

A.J. Greer and Eetu Luostarinen tallied short-handed goals on the same penalty kill as the visiting Florida Panthers opened a home-and-home series with three special-teams scores, beating the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 on Sunday.