In a meeting that will go down in history, the Florida Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning with a score of 7-0 in their last preseason game. However, the result took a backseat due to the large number of penalties and the intensity of the game. The game was marked by a total of 65 penalties that added up to 312 minutes on the scoreboard, including 13 ejections. The situation reached such a point that even after the game, the officials continued to record penalties.
The game got out of control, reaching a point where, according to Florida player Evan Rodrigues, “it really wasn’t hockey”. The situation intensified from the first minutes, when Tampa Bay’s Scott Sabourin was penalized with a major after only 19 seconds of play. A curious moment occurred when Niko Mikkola, despite having been ejected, was initially credited with an assist on a goal that gave the Panthers an 8-0 lead. The error was later corrected, but it illustrated the chaotic nature of the encounter. The game on Saturday was a continuation of the rivalry between both teams, which had already shown its intensity two nights before, in a match that combined 49 penalties and 186 minutes. The rivalry between these two teams, with a history of clashes in the Stanley Cup finals, has generated great expectation. Lightning coach Jon Cooper commented that the situation did not surprise him, given the history of the rivalry.I have no idea what message Tampa Bay was trying to send with their style of play. I’m not worried. Training camp is over. We had some good games… and nobody complained about ice time at the end, so it’s over.
Paul Maurice, Florida coach
