Tampa Bay Lightning are set to begin their Stanley Cup Playoff campaign

Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports

As of April 17, 2025, the Tampa Bay Lightning are poised to commence their Stanley Cup Playoff journey with a first-round clash against the Florida Panthers. This encounter represents the fourth postseason face-off between these two Florida franchises, reigniting a heated rivalry within the state. The opening game is set for Tuesday at Amalie Arena in Tampa, where the Lightning will enjoy the advantage of playing on home ice.

In their final regular-season game, the Lightning triumphed over the Panthers with a score of 5-1, extending their point streak to six games. Brayden Point was instrumental in the victory, contributing one goal and two assists, while Nikita Kucherov added another goal. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy played a crucial role, making 23 saves to ensure the win.

The Panthers will be missing forward Jesse Puljujarvi for the initial two games of the series due to a suspension resulting from an illegal check to the head of Lightning player Mitchell Chaffee. Looking forward, the Lightning are viewed as formidable contenders in the playoffs, with several analysts placing them among the leading teams in terms of their chances for the Stanley Cup.