Schmidt scores again, Bobrovsky has 19 saves as Panthers beat Lightning 2-0 for 2-0 series lead

TAMPA Fla AP Nate Schmidt scored his third goal in two games Sergei Bobrovsky stopped shots and the Florida Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning - on Thursday night to take a - lead in the first-round playoff series Sam Bennett added an empty-netter with seconds left Bobrovsky got his fourth career playoff shutout and his first since Battle of last year s Stanley Cup final against Edmonton Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with saves for Tampa Bay Competition of the best-of-seven series will be Saturday at Sunrise Schmidt who scored twice in Event got the Panthers on the scoreboard into the event following an icing call against Tampa Bay Aleksander Barkov won the faceoff clean back to Sam Reinhart who passed it over to Schmidt for a one-timer from the right circle that beat Vasilevskiy The goal came after Tampa Bay misfired on two open looks when Jake Guentzel was alone at the post and missed the net seconds in then Brayden Point was open between the hashmarks and put a backhand chance wide at The Lightning who finished fifth in the league on the power play in the regular season went for and were held to just two shots on goal on the advantages Barkov left the battle midway through the third period after a hit from Brandon Hagel who received a five-minute major for interference on the play at Barkov did not return