Point scores 2 in 3rd to lift Lightning over Panthers 5-4

Brayden Point scored two late goals, including the game-winner with 1:14 left in the third period, to lift the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 5-4 win over the Florida Panthers on Sunday night in Game 1 of their playoff series.

Nikita Kucherov scored two power-play goals in his first appearance of the season, and Blake Coleman scored a short-handed goal. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 35 saves and Victor Hedman had three assists.

Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and two assists, Owen Tippitt amd Aleksander Barkov each had a goal and an assist and Carter Verhaeghe scored a goal against his former team to lead the Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 34 shots, and Keith Yandle and Sam Bennett each had two assists.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Brayden Point (21) celebrates after scoring the game winning goal against the Florida Panthers during the third period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 16, 2021, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP PhotoJoel Auerbach)

Point tied it at 4 with seven minutes to go on his power-play goal and then got the winner when he skated in on a breakaway and backhanded the puck past Bobrovsky.

With the Panthers trailing 3-2, Huberdeau skated in on a breakaway and slid the puck under Vasilevskiy’s pads at 1:27 into the third to tie the score at 3.

Tippett gave the Panthers a 4-3 lead on his goal at 4:09 of the third.

Teammates mob Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Brayden Point (21) after he scored the game winning goal against the Florida Panthers during the third period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 16, 2021, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP PhotoJoel Auerbach)

The Panthers thought they scored a power-play goal when Sam Bennett pushed the puck past Vasilevskiy at 7:26 of the first, but the goal was waved off due to goalie interference. The Lightning took a 1-0 lead on Coleman’s short-handed goal 16 seconds later.

The Panthers tied it at 1 on Barkov’s power-play goal at 9:41, and Verhaeghe put them ahead with 3:29 left in the first.

Kucherov tied the score 2-all on his first power-play goal at 4:48 of the second. His second gave the Lightning a 3-2 lead when he one-timed a pass from Hedman from the right circle with 5:09 left in the second. Kucherov missed the entire regular season with a hip injury after having surgery on Dec. 29. He played his first game since Sept. 28.

Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) and left wing Alex Killorn (17) celebrate the game-tying goal by defenseman Brayden Point (21) during the third period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Florida Panthers, Sunday, May 16, 2021, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP PhotoJoel Auerbach)

The first period was especially chippy, with a combined 16 penalty minutes. The second period ended with a fighting scrum in front of the Tampa Bay net.

BACK TO WORK

Steven Stamkos, who hadn’t played since April 8 with a lower-body injury, a span of 16 games, returned for Game 1. Hedman (lower body) and Ryan McDonagh (upper body) also returned after each missed the last two games of the regular season.

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) celebrates the win with Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) against the Florida Panthers after the third period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 16, 2021, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP PhotoJoel Auerbach)

NOTES: Since his NHL debut in 2013-14, Kucherov has scored 38 postseason goals, tying him with Alex Ovechkin for most among all players. ... Coleman’s short-handed goal was the first in the playoffs for the Lightning since Alex Killorn in Game 1, Round 1 in the 2019 playoffs.

ATTENDANCE

The Panthers increased capacity to 50% for the playoffs. 9,646 attended Sunday’s game.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh (27) defends against Florida Panthers left wing Mason Marchment (19) in front of Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 16, 2021, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP PhotoJoel Auerbach)

UP NEXT

The teams meet Tuesday for Game 2.

Florida Panthers left wing Anthony Duclair (91) looks to pass the puck in front of the Tampa Bay Lightning net during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 16, 2021, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP PhotoJoel Auerbach)

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) celebrates his first of two goal during the second period against the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 16, 2021, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP PhotoJoel Auerbach)

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes a glove save against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 16, 2021, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP PhotoJoel Auerbach)