Cole Reinhardt broke a third-period tie six seconds after Tampa Bay tied the score, sending the Florida Panthers to a 5-3 preseason win over the Tampa Bay Lightning at Benchmark International Arena on Thursday.
Florida built an early lead behind a deflected goal from Bokondji Imama late in the first period and a snap shot from Kai Schwindt early in the second. Tampa Bay answered later in the middle frame, as Jansen Harkins and Conor Geekie scored snap shots to draw even at 2-2. Hunter St. Martin put Florida back in front with a backhand goal early in the third period before Harkins tied it again with his second of the game at 5:29. Reinhardt answered unassisted just six seconds later at 5:35, and Sandis Vilmanis sealed the win with an empty-net goal with 24 seconds remaining.
Panthers goaltender Kirill Gerasimyuk earned the win with 11 saves on 12 shots in relief of starter Cooper Black, who stopped 14 of 16 attempts. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 20 saves on 24 shots for Tampa Bay. Neither side converted with the man advantage, as Florida finished 0 for 1 on the power play while killing off all four Tampa Bay power plays.
The Panthers will visit the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday, October 21 at 7:30 PM ET. The Lightning travel to play the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, October 20 at 10:30 PM ET.
