Lightning rout Panthers 6-1 as fists fly in final game before break

Tampa Bay dominates Florida in physical matchup before Olympic hiatus.

Feb. 5, 2026 at 10:31pm

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The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Florida Panthers 6-1 in a physical game on Thursday night, the final contest for both teams before the Olympic break. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 33 saves for the Lightning, who improved his record to 16-0-1 in his past 17 games. Brandon Hagel, Oliver Bjporkstrand, Jake Guentzel, and Erik Cernak scored for Tampa Bay in the lopsided victory.

Why it matters

The Lightning and Panthers are fierce division rivals, and this game had added intensity as the last matchup before the Olympic pause. Tampa Bay's dominant performance over their in-state foe sends a message heading into the break.

The details

The game featured several fights and physical altercations as the two teams battled intensely. The Lightning scored four unanswered goals in the second period to pull away. Vasilevskiy was stellar in net, continuing his impressive run of form for the defending Stanley Cup champions.

  • The game took place 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 shots and improved his record to 16-0-1 in his past 17 games.

Brandon Hagel

A Tampa Bay Lightning forward who scored a goal in the game.

Oliver Bjporkstrand

A Tampa Bay Lightning forward who scored a goal in the game.

Jake Guentzel

A Tampa Bay Lightning forward who scored a goal in the game.

Erik Cernak

A Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman who scored a goal in the game.

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What they’re saying

“We knew this was going to be a physical game, but our guys really stepped up and played a complete game on both ends of the ice.”

— Jon Cooper, Tampa Bay Lightning Head Coach

What’s next

The Lightning and Panthers will not play each other again until after the Olympic break, when they are scheduled to meet three more times in the regular season.

The takeaway

The Lightning's dominant performance over their in-state rival Panthers before the Olympic break demonstrates their continued status as one of the NHL's elite teams, as they look to defend their Stanley Cup championship.