Panthers Lambasted For Abysmal Power Play in Game 1 Loss vs. Lightning

Timothy Rapp @@TRappaRTFeatured Columnist IVMay 18, 2022

SUNRISE, FL - MAY 17: Pierre-Edouard Bellemare #41 of the Tampa Bay Lightning checks Brandon Montour #62 of the Florida Panthers into the boards during second period action in Game One of the Second Round of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the FLA Live Arena on May 17, 2022 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

Joel Auerbach/Getty Images

The words "power" and "play" might just be banned from the city of Miami.

The Florida Panthers failed to score on three power plays in a 4-1 Game 1 loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning, moving to 0-for-21 with a man-advantage in this year's postseason.

Power plays were the difference in the game, as the Lightning scored three extra-man goals on their six attempts. And after the game, fans were livid with Florida's inability to take advantage of their special teams' opportunities:

Jared Smith @jaredleesmith
I’ve scored the same amount of power play goals as the Panthers have this postseason and I suck at hockey <a href="https://t.co/9NIXqerlt5">pic.twitter.com/9NIXqerlt5</a>

p - Jacob @ Panther Pourri (#1 Quaxly fan) @PTPJacob
The Panthers’ power play drought can now legally drink in the United States! 🎉🍾

Melinda♥️ @beerslinger37
Has anyone ever won the Stanley cup and never scored a power play goal? Asking for the <a href="https://twitter.com/FlaPanthers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FlaPanthers</a>

Daniel Friedman @DanJFriedman
The Panthers have to get that power play working or they’re toast.

Chris Towers Is In Baseball Season @CTowersCBS
The Panthers being 0-for-21 on power plays in the postseason after having the fifth-best power play in the regular seasons seems bad, to me

Nico R @UB_Opethian
It's absolutely absurd that the Panthers still haven't scored a single power play goal in the playoffs yet

Game 1 started off on a high note for the Panthers, as Anthony Duclair opened the scoring in the first period.

But Corey Perry evened the proceedings in the second period, and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Nikita Kucherov and Ross Colton each struck in a dominant third period for the Lightning.

NHL @NHL
Nikita Kucherov (<a href="https://twitter.com/86Kucherov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@86Kucherov</a>) sure has some moves. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StanleyCup</a> 🕺 🇺🇸: <a href="https://twitter.com/NHL_On_TNT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NHL_On_TNT</a> ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/7jhoX5dCRG">https://t.co/7jhoX5dCRG</a> 🇨🇦: <a href="https://twitter.com/Sportsnet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sportsnet</a> ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/3qur7hqjH4">https://t.co/3qur7hqjH4</a> <a href="https://t.co/Dq81YcfYeg">pic.twitter.com/Dq81YcfYeg</a>

NHL @NHL
The <a href="https://twitter.com/TBLightning?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TBLightning</a> take the lead with this Pierre-Edouard Bellemare tally. 🔔 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StanleyCup</a> 🇺🇸: <a href="https://twitter.com/NHL_On_TNT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NHL_On_TNT</a> ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/7jhoX5dCRG">https://t.co/7jhoX5dCRG</a> 🇨🇦: <a href="https://twitter.com/Sportsnet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sportsnet</a> ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/3qur7hqjH4">https://t.co/3qur7hqjH4</a> <a href="https://t.co/dALE0TSLQ8">pic.twitter.com/dALE0TSLQ8</a>

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NHL @NHL
Nikita Kucherov (<a href="https://twitter.com/86Kucherov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@86Kucherov</a>) extends the lead for the <a href="https://twitter.com/TBLightning?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TBLightning</a>. ⚡️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StanleyCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/EgEqHtDVZj">pic.twitter.com/EgEqHtDVZj</a>

Florida's power-play woes took a turn toward the cruel in that decisive third period, when it appeared the team had scored while a man up. Just before the goal, however, the puck hit the netting, and the play was overturned on review:

Shayna @hayyyshayyy
The Panthers finally score on the power play, but the Lightning challenge for a missed stoppage. Jon Cooper went 4-4 this season on challenges, 0-1 on missed stoppages. This one gets the goal overturned. <a href="https://t.co/A1hbSauy6e">pic.twitter.com/A1hbSauy6e</a>

Randy @agentofascent
Florida Panthers thinking they scored a power play goal <a href="https://t.co/8x40FMfDro">pic.twitter.com/8x40FMfDro</a>

p - 11th Inquisitor Jay @JShataraTV
LMFAOOOO We finally get a power-play goal and it won’t count 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Granted, the Panthers beat the Washington Capitals without scoring a power-play goal, and they also lost Game 1 of that series.

So perhaps it isn't all doom and gloom for the Panthers. Maybe they'll just take the path less traveled:

David Dwork @DavidDwork
Hot take: The Panthers will be the first team to win the Stanley Cup without scoring a single power play goal during the playoffs

Maybe. But it's more likely a trend they would prefer to end quickly. Beating the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions will be near impossible if the Panthers can't take advantage of those chances.