Lightning Defeat Panthers 6-1 Before Olympic Break

Vasilevskiy makes 33 saves as Tampa Bay extends hot streak to 19-1-1 in last 21 games

Feb. 5, 2026 at 10:07pm

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Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 33 shots to improve to 16-0-1 in his past 17 games, helping the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Florida Panthers 6-1 on Thursday night in the final game for both teams before the Olympic break. Brandon Hagel, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Jake Guentzel, Erik Cernak, Pontus Holmberg and Zemgus Girgensons scored for the Lightning, who are 19-1-1 in their last 21 games. Mackie Samoskevich scored for the Panthers, who played without regulars Brad Marchand, Aaron Ekblad and Evan Rodrigues.

Why it matters

The Lightning have been one of the hottest teams in the NHL over the past two months, surging to the top of the standings in the Eastern Conference. This win over their in-state rival Panthers further solidifies their position as a top contender heading into the Olympic break.

The details

Vasilevskiy was dominant in net, stopping 33 of 34 shots to pick up his 16th win in his last 17 decisions. The Lightning got goals from six different players, including Nikita Kucherov extending his scoring streak to 10 games. Tempers flared in the third period, with Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Hagel dropping the gloves, resulting in a total of 137 penalty minutes between the two teams.

  • The game was played on Thursday, February 6, 2026.
  • It was the final game for both teams before the Olympic break.

The players

Andrei Vasilevskiy

The Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender who stopped 33 of 34 shots to improve to 16-0-1 in his past 17 games.

Brandon Hagel

The Tampa Bay Lightning forward who scored the opening goal of the game and fought with Matthew Tkachuk in the third period.

Matthew Tkachuk

The Florida Panthers forward who hit Nikita Kucherov from behind, sparking a fight with Brandon Hagel in the third period.

Nikita Kucherov

The Tampa Bay Lightning forward who extended his scoring streak to 10 games.

Mackie Samoskevich

The Florida Panthers forward who scored the team's lone goal in the game.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

The takeaway

The Lightning have been one of the NHL's most dominant teams over the past two months, surging to the top of the Eastern Conference standings. This win over their in-state rival Panthers further solidifies their position as a top contender heading into the Olympic break.