Evan Rodrigues scored three power-play goals and added an assist to power the Florida Panthers to a 7-0 rout of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the preseason finale for both teams.
Mackie Samoskevich notched two-power-play goals and an assist for the Panthers, who went 6-for-20 (that’s right, 6-for-20!) with the man advantage during the fight-filled game, which saw the teams combine for an astounding 322 penalty minutes and a bevy of skaters get tossed.
Jack Studnicka scored Florida’s only even-strength marker, from Tyle Motter and Niko Mikkola, with the teams skating four-on-four with 4:26 left in the first period to make it 3-0. Studnicka led the Cats with four goals during the exhibition season.
Jeff Petry scored the other goal for the Panthers and also had two assists to finish the night with three points.
Eetu Luostarinen collected four assists, and Motte and Uvis Balinskis each had two helpers.
Sergei Bobrovsky (15 saves) started and played the first two periods before giving way to Daniil Tarasov, who did not face a shot during the third period.
Lightning forward Scott Sabourin received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for punching and cross-checking Aaron Ekblad in the face 2:18 into game, which set the tone for the rest of the night. Ekblad left the game and did not return.
Like Bobrovsky, a rusty-looking Andrei Vasilevskiy played two periods and gave up six goals on 20 shots. Newly-acquired keeper Pheonix Copley mopped up during the third and stopped 11 of 12 shots faced.
Florida finished the preseason with a 3-4 record. The real games start on Tuesday when the two-time defending champions host the Chicago Blackhawks to kick off the 2025-26 season.