from Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald,

The Florida Panthers were optimistic yet cautious. They had gotten off to one of the best starts in franchise history and had been steady throughout the first 10 games of the shortened 2021 season while primarily facing teams at the bottom half of the Central Division.

But the defending Stanley Cup champions were coming to town. Thursday, their first of three games in five days against the Tampa Bay Lightning, would serve as the litmus test for where this Panthers team really stands.

“They are doing everything right,” Panthers coach Joel Quenneville said of the Lightning leading into the game, “and we have to do more than everything right.”

On Thursday, the Panthers did more than everything right.

The offense was humming and got past one of the best goaltenders in the league. The defense stymied a high-potent offense. Sergei Bobrovsky followed up his best performance of the season with another solid game in net.

The end result at the BB&T Center: Panthers 5, Lightning 2.

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Game highlights are below.