How 2 wiped-out Lightning goals helped the Panthers eliminate Tampa Bay in Game 5: 3 takeaways

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SUNRISE, Fla. — As it turns out, the Florida Panthers didn't wake up a sleeping giant after all.

Last year's Eastern Conference champs moved on to the second round of the NHL playoffs on Monday night by defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-1 at Amerant Bank Arena, eliminating the 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup champions and 2022 finalists behind two goals and an assist from Selke Trophy frontrunner Aleksander Barkov, including a game-winning short-handed goal in the second period.

It's the first time Florida has defeated its cross-state rival in a playoff series and comes after Tampa Bay appeared to be finding its form in a 6-3 Game 4 win.

Carter Verhaeghe also scored two goals and an assist Monday, Evan Rodrigues and Niko Mikkola scored late in the third period, Matthew Tkachuk had two assists and Sergei Bobrovsky made 31 saves and was especially brilliant in the third period on close calls against Brayden Point, Victor Hedman and Matt Dumba — all prior to Barkov's second goal.

Barkov registered his 11th career multi-point playoff game. He is Florida's all-time leader with 52 playoff games, 29 assists and 42 points. He had 16 points during the Panthers' run to the 2023 Stanley Cup Final.

Hedman scored the lone goal for the Lightning, who had two goals wiped out due to goalie interference.

Teams that hold a 3-1 lead in a best-of-seven series are now 307-32 all-time. The Panthers have won eight of their past 10 playoff games at home, including all three in this series. They will face the winner of the Bruins-Maple Leafs series, which Boston leads 3-1.

Aleksander Barkov buries the shorty for his first of the #StanleyCup Playoffs 🚨 pic.twitter.com/Td5NlTIHy4

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 30, 2024

'Mr. Clutch' clutch as usual

Aleksander Barkov buries his second of the night! ✌️ pic.twitter.com/MriIZgOUvz

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 30, 2024

When the stakes get higher, Verhaeghe always comes through. After a 0-0 first period, the former Lightning Stanley Cup champ followed his own shot and buried the rebound for the game's first goal. He later set up Barkov's second goal of the game and added an empty-netter.

Verhaeghe finished with at least a point in every game of the series, including his fifth career overtime winner in Game 2.

Verhaeghe's 20 postseason goals with the Panthers are the most in club history. He also leads the club in even-strength goals (18), even-strength points (38) and game-winning goals (eight). He had seven goals and 17 points in 21 playoff games last year. Verhaeghe's five goals and 11 points in seven potential series-clinching games lead all skaters in Panthers history.

Carter Verhaeghe pounces on his own rebound to put the Panthers on the board first 😼 pic.twitter.com/6PYQEvcj9y

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 30, 2024

Cirelli part of two goals being taken off the board

The referee waived off Tampa Bay's goal because Cirelli was in the crease. pic.twitter.com/SGHdp4aaKM

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 30, 2024

Anthony Cirelli's mood was at a boiling point late in the second period when he cruelly became part of a second Lightning goal being wiped off the board.

With 2:12 left in the second period, Mikhail Sergachev thought he had completed a comeback from 2-0 down with a tying goal. But referee Eric Furlatt immediately waved off the goal, asserting that Cirelli was in the crease and knocked Bobrovsky's stick out of his grasp. Coach Jon Cooper challenged, but the NHL Situation Room in Toronto upheld the call and Florida got a power play.

What made this especially hard on Cirelli was that the Lightning thought they jumped out to a 1-0 first-period lead when Cirelli found Dumba's rebound, skating himself into open space and burying the puck into an open net. But there was a reason the net was wide open, the Florida coaching staff determined. Paul Maurice challenged that Anthony Duclair inhibited Bobrovsky's ability to make the save, and after a long review between the referees and the Situation Room, it was determined there was indeed goalie interference and the goal was overturned. Duclair's right skate entered the crease, Bobrovsky's glove got tangled around his ankle and the league decided it affected his ability to slide over.

Cooper, like the second-period decision, wasn't too pleased with the ruling.

Anthony Cirelli's goal is overturned after review. pic.twitter.com/x7Pz8VE9Fz

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 29, 2024

Stamkos playing his final game with Lightning?

GO DEEPER

Lazerus: The Lightning should have no regrets, but it's going to get worse before it gets better

Was this Steven Stamkos' exit? If so, what a series and career in Tampa Bay for the 34-year-old captain and 2008 No. 1 pick. The two-time Stanley Cup champion is in the last year of his contract, and there has been no conversation between the Lightning and the two-time Rocket Richard winner that we know of.

Stamkos has maintained he wants to stay and the team plans to open talks once the season is over.

"He belongs here. We know it. He knows it. I don't know what's going to happen. He feels like a Bolt for life," Cooper said.

Steven Stamkos lingered on the ice longer than any other Bolts player.

Could this be his final appearance in a Tampa Bay jersey?

🎥 @BR_OpenIcepic.twitter.com/R9ew0cHAh1

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) April 30, 2024

Stamkos is the Lightning's all-time leader with 1,082 games, 555 goals, 1,137 points, 214 power-play goals, 85 game-winning goals, 3,332 shots and 13 hat tricks. In the playoffs, he ranks third with 50 goals and 101 points.

If this was his swan song, he had a fabulous series with five goals in five games, including at least one goal in the first four games of the series.

GO DEEPER

What comes next for Steven Stamkos and the Lightning?

(Photo: Eliot J. Schechter / NHLI via Getty Images)

Michael Russo is a senior writer covering the Minnesota Wild and the National Hockey League for The Athletic. He has covered the NHL since 1995 (Florida Panthers) and the Wild since 2005, previously for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and Minneapolis Star Tribune. Michael is a four-time Minnesota Sportswriter of the Year and in 2017 was named the inaugural Red Fisher Award winner as best beat writer in the NHL. Michael can be seen on Bally Sports North and the NHL Network; and heard on KFAN (100.3 FM) and podcasts "Worst Seats in the House" (talknorth.com), "The Athletic Hockey Show" on Wednesdays and "Straight From the Source" (The Athletic). Follow Michael on Twitter @RussoHockey