The Panthers begin their title defense with a first-round series against the battle-tested Lightning, which begins Tuesday night.
Last year, the two in-state foes also met in the first round, with Florida disposing of Tampa Bay in five games — their first of four series victories en route to winning the first Stanley Cup in franchise history. This year’s series will mark the fourth time in the last five years that the two teams will meet in the playoffs.
Since advancing to three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances, the Lightning have suffered first-round exits in consecutive seasons. They’ll look to buck that trend behind Nikita Kucerhov, the NHL’s leading point-getter with 121 points on the year.
The Panthers could receive a major boost via the potential return of star winger Matthew Tkachuk, who has been sidelined since February after suffering an injury at the Four Nations Face-Off. Center Sam Reinhart has stepped up in Tkachuk’s absence, leading the team with 39 goals.
Here’s what you need to know to watch Lightning vs. Panthers, including broadcast information and start times.
Lightning vs. Panthers schedule
| Date | Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 22 | Game 1 at Tampa Bay | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN, Fubo |
| April 24 | Game 2 at Tampa Bay | 6:30 p.m. | TBS, truTV, Sling |
| April 26 | Game 3 at Florida | 1 p.m. | TBS, truTV, Sling |
| April 28 | Game 4 at Florida | TBA | TBA, Fubo or Sling |
| April 30 | Game 5* at Tampa Bay | TBA | TBA, Fubo or Sling |
| May 2 | Game 6* at Florida | TBA | TBA, Fubo or Sling |
| May 4 | Game 7* at Tampa Bay | TBA | TBA, Fubo or Sling |
* If necessary
How to watch Lightning vs. Panthers: TV channel, live stream
- TV channel: ESPN | TBS | truTV
- Live stream: Fubo, Sling
Games in the Lightning vs. Panthers series will air on multiple channels.
Fans can live stream games broadcast on the ESPN family of networks with Fubo.
Fubo offers a free trial for new subscribers, so you can try the service before you buy. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and 200+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)
For games airing on TNT, TBS and truTV, Sling is the streaming option for cord-cutters.
Sling is your home for playoff action. Catch NHL and NBA postseason games with a range of sports channels including TNT, TBS, truTV, ESPN, ABC and more.
Lightning vs. Panthers radio station
Fans can listen to every game of the Lightning vs. Panthers series live on SiriusXM.
New subscribers can enjoy SiriusXM for free for four months. Listen to live NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB games, plus NASCAR, college sports and more. Stay updated with all the news and get all the analysis on multiple sport-specific channels.
NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs schedule, key dates for 2025
Here are the key dates to know for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs and offseason. Some series start dates could move up depending on when previous series end.
| Event | Dates |
|---|---|
| First round begins | April 19 |
| NHL Draft Lottery | May 5 or 6 |
| NHL Scouting Combine at Buffalo | June 1-7 |
| Stanley Cup Finals Game 7 (if necessary) | June 23 |
| NHL Draft at Los Angeles | June 27-28 |
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