TAMPA - A young Florida Panthers roster built largely from AHL-level talent beat the veteran-laden Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3 Thursday night in the third preseason game for both clubs, with Cole Reinhardt delivering the go-ahead goal in a wild third period that saw four goals scored in under 15 minutes.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice had set a clear standard heading into the game. “A win against the veteran-laden Lightning would certainly be a bonus,” Maurice said, per Florida Hockey Now. His team delivered on both counts - playing within the system and coming away with the result.
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 goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy through his skates at 5:35 of the third to make it 4-3. It was Reinhardt’s third goal in as many preseason games.
The Panthers had taken a 2-0 lead on goals by Bokondji Imama at 19:44 of the first and Kai Schwindt at 2:29 of the second, but Tampa Bay tied it twice - Jansen Harkins scoring at 3:14 of the second and Conor Geekie converting a breakaway with Sam O’Reilly at 13:09. Hunter St. Martin restored the Panthers’ lead at 4:21 of the third off a feed from Alexander Petrovic, Harkins answered six seconds later at 5:29, and Reinhardt’s strip goal came just six seconds after that. Sandis Vilmanis added an empty-netter at 19:36 to close it out.
A key sequence came late in the second, when Florida’s AHL-caliber lineup killed a 5-on-3 Lightning power play that lasted 1:55 - preserving a 2-2 tie and setting up the decisive third period. Only seven penalties were called across both teams, with just one for roughing.
In net, Cooper Black played the first two periods and made 14 saves before Kirill Gerasimyuk took over for the third. Black is expected to serve as the starter for the Panthers’ AHL affiliate in Charlotte.
Tampa Bay visits Sunrise on Saturday at 6 p.m. for the final preseason game for both teams, broadcast on Scripps and Panthers+. Florida opens the 2026-27 regular season on the road against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday at 5 p.m. on ESPN, with the home opener set for Oct. 10 against the Minnesota Wild at 6 p.m.