Their first chance to advance to Round 2 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Florida Panthers will battle the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Amalie Arena on Wednesday. Leading the series 3-1, the defending champs certainly aren’t new to this situation.

Paul Maurice’s Florida Panthers, who had a remarkable third period comeback in Game 4 of their first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, know the formula for Game 5.

Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad was suspended for Game 5 for his forearm hit on Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel. And Niko Mikkola was fined $5,000 for a penalty during the game, as well.

Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad has been suspended for two games for elbowing Lightning forward Brandon Hagel in the head midway through Game 4 of Florida's first-round series against Tampa Bay.