Florida Panthers look for turnaround victory against Tampa Bay Lightning in pivotal Game 4 matchup

The Florida Panthers will seek to secure a tight grip on their first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning when the teams meet Monday night at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise. Florida got out to an early lead with two dazzling road victories, but the Tampa Bay Lightning caught up in the deciding 5-1 Game 3 win. Game 4 is now a turning point that could turn the momentum forever either way.
Florida Panthers look to continue offensive pressure on Tampa Bay Lightning
The Florida Panthers are expected to maintain their strong style of play that produced decisive 8-2 and 5-2 wins in the first two games. Leaders such as Carter Verhaeghe , Sasha Barkov , and Sam Reinhart have taken the role, leading in offense with frequent assists. Secondary production is expected from Matthew Tkachuk , Sam Bennett, and Evan Rodrigues as Florida responds to Tampa Bay's adjustments.
Projected Florida Panthers lines for Game 4 are:

• Carter Verhaeghe – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart
• Evan Rodrigues – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
• Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand
• Jesper Boqvist – Nico Sturm – Mackie Samoskevich

Projected defensive pairings are:

• Gustav Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
• Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones
• Dmitry Kulikov – Nate Schmidt

Florida Panthers bench boss Paul Maurice will again look to veterans like Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling to stabilize the blue line and help limit Tampa Bay's potent offense.
Brandon Hagel ’s return gives the Tampa Bay Lightning a timely boost
With Brandon Hagel coming back from suspension and Matthew Tkachuk avoiding discipline, tensions between these two intense competitors will be sure to escalate to new heights. Hagel's suspension resulted from a five-minute interference major, a hit that infuriated and added fuel to an already physical series.
Meanwhile, Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk faced the same ill fortune as Guentzel following his being cited for a five-minute major in interference late during Game 3 on Jake Guentzel. Upon review, the NHL Department of Player Safety deemed Tkachuk's check did not justify additional punishment, a decision that has only escalated the rising tension between these two Atlantic Division rivals.
High stakes as Florida Panthers look to seize series momentum
With the series dangling in the balance at 2-1, Monday's contest is a do-or-die for both the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers. If Florida wins, they would have themselves on the cusp of advancing, but if Tampa Bay wins, they would set up a best-of-three, high-stakes finish.
Also read: Jake Guentzel stars as Tampa Bay Lightning run down Aleksander Barkov's Florida Panthers for Game 3
With mounting hostility between the teams, Game 4 promises no shortage of physicality, emotion, and must-see drama. One thing is for certain: neither team is ready to floor it in this playoff conflict.