The Florida Panthers cruised to a commanding 6-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, securing their spot in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Eetu Luostarinen emerged as a standout performer, contributing significantly with a goal and three assists. Other contributors included Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe, Anton Lundell, and Aleksander Barkov, each of whom found the back of the net. This victory marks the Panthers' continued dominance over their in-state rivals, successfully eliminating the Lightning in five games for the second straight season. Sergei Bobrovsky was solid in goal, making 26 saves, as Florida reached the second round for the fourth consecutive year. They will next face the winner of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators series, currently led by Toronto.