TAMPA - A Florida Panthers roster built largely around younger players beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3 Thursday night in Tampa, with Cole Reinhardt delivering the go-ahead goal in a third period that saw the Panthers score three unanswered to seal the win.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice had set a clear benchmark heading into the penultimate preseason exhibition. “I wanted to see my mostly-young offense play within the team’s system in its penultimate exhibition game of the preseason,” Maurice said, according to Florida Hockey Now. His team delivered on both counts.
Reinhardt, pushing hard for a spot on the Opening Night roster, stripped veteran defenseman Ryan McDonagh of the puck deep in the Tampa zone and beat goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy through his skates to make it 4-3 at 5:35 of the third. It was Reinhardt’s third goal in as many preseason games.
The Panthers took a 2-0 lead on goals by Bokondji Imama and Kai Schwindt in the first and second periods, but the Lightning tied it twice before Hunter St. Martin restored Florida’s lead at 4:21 of the third with a goal from the slot off a feed from Alexander Petrovic. Jansen Harkins scored both Lightning goals in the third, including a tying goal at 5:29, but Reinhardt answered just six seconds later. Sandis Vilmanis added an empty-netter at 19:36 to close it out.
One of the sharper moments for Florida’s young lineup came late in the second period, when the Panthers killed a 5-on-3 Lightning power play that lasted 1:55 - preserving a 2-2 tie and setting up the decisive third. Only seven penalties were called across both teams in the game, with just one for roughing.
Goaltender Cooper Black played the first two periods and made 14 saves before Kirill Gerasimyuk took over for the third. The Panthers went 2-1 in the preseason heading into the final exhibition game, which is scheduled Saturday at 6 p.m. in Sunrise against the Lightning. Florida opens the 2026-27 regular season Tuesday at the Carolina Hurricanes at 5 p.m. on ESPN, with the home opener set for Oct. 10 against the Minnesota Wild at 6 p.m.